Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, the largest bird sanctuary in Karnataka, on the banks of the Cauvery in Mandya district, is all set to enthral visitors again, after a gap of 86 days.
The Forest Department, the custodian of the bird sanctuary, is geared up to reopen it on Monday. The bird sanctuary was closed on March 14 following the spread of COVID-19.
The sanctuary — a combination of several mini-islets in the Cauvery near Srirangapatna — had not been closed for this long a period since it got the status of bird sanctuary in 1940. The nationwide lockdown has caused it a loss of ₹1.5 crore, a senior forest officer said.
“We have taken all precautionary measures to prevent a possible spread of COVID-19 at the bird sanctuary,” he told The Hindu on Sunday. According to him, every visitor will be asked to strictly wear a mask and maintain social distancing while entering the sanctuary. Disinfectants will be provided to all visitors.
Currently, Ranganathittu has only around 8,500 birds. A majority of open-billed storks, spoonbills, spot-billed pelicans, and painted storks have left the sanctuary with hatchlings.
The islets of Ranganathittu were formed during the construction of a barrier across the Cauvery between 1645 and 1648, by the then Mysore ruler Kantirava Narasaraja Wadiyar. The bird sanctuary is home to many native and migratory birds, and is considered a safe place for river otters, marsh crocodiles (muggers), and several species of fish.
