A microcosm of the outlying Oussudu Lake, the roosting spot for a variety of migratory birds, has been recreated through a tableaux of life-like models on the premises of the Department of Forests and Wildlife.
The Oussudu Interpretation Centre replicates the characteristics of the lake’s ecosystem, especially its avifauna, through a mix of artistic landscaping, three-dimensional modelling, paintings and stone sculptures.
Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy formally opened the centre to the public on Wednesday and undertook a survey of the features.
Top wetland
Apart from recreating the biodiversity of Oussudu, recognised as one of the important wetlands of Asia by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the interpretation centre also offers a study of other local or endemic floral and faunal attributes, such as Olive Ridley turtles. A stone sculpture at the entrance captures all the four State symbols of Puducherry — the Asian Koel, the Indian Palm Squirrel, the Cannon Ball Flower and the Vilva Tree.
Paintings on kadappa stone (black limestone) feature species such as the Brahminy Kite, Painted Stork, Purple Swamphen and the Pheasant Tailed Jacana, while a fibre sculpture of the Greater Flamingos and single stone carvings of the Indian Chameleon, Russel Viper and Fan-Throated Lizard greet visitors at the entrance.
Inside the special gel replica of the lake are featured ferro cement and fibre canvas models of 22 avifauna species of Oussudu, an ecosystem which falls under the joint aegis of the Governments of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
The models have been positioned with an astonishing degree of precision exactly as they would be perched in natural habitat.
The two-storeyed building housing the interpretation centre could well be the country’s first art-based facility of its kind created by a team of officials led by G. Sathiyamoorthy, Conservator of Forests.
Conceived under a Centrally-sponsored scheme, the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco System, at a cost of ₹86 lakh, it took nearly two years to realise the carefully curated project. The centre has come up on a final cost of about ₹1 crore, including the landscaping and art theme expenditure.
“The centre is unique in being art-themed and also in that every detail is hand-crafted, right down to the texts accompanying the exhibits which are handwritten and not digitally produced,” said Vanjulavalli Karthik, Deputy Conservator of Forests.
A group of about 25 wildlife artists associated with the Universal Eco Foundation, a city-based biodiversity conservation and awareness disseminating organisation, were commissioned for making the exhibits. No effort has been spared to provide a real-life feel to the models, right down to the taxonomic specifics of each species.
Rich experience
The Forest Department has planned the centre to serve as a half-day tour with the added experience of visiting the adjacent deer park.
“We are planning to have a full-time guide to assist visitors. And in the long term, we could even provide a day-long experience for visitors by connecting a trip to the centre with an urban forest trail,” Ms. Karthik said.
