Silent sentinels
The Hindu
Sunday, Apr 30, 2006
KALYANI CANDADE
The mangroves of Choroa Island in Goa are a birder's paradise.
THE silence of the morning was shattered by a burst of cackling laughter
across the water.
Our guide stopped rowing, and pointed to the shadowy green of the
mangroves. Squinting against the sun, we could barely make out the
leaves. Then, again, that strange cackle - and a flash of wings, blue
and orange... It was my first sighting of stork-billed kingfisher!
A rich variety
We were in a dugout boat, paddling along one of the richest stretches of
mangroves in Goa, in the Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Choroa Island. I
had heard that the place was home to five or six varieties of
kingfishers - including the stork-billed, the black-capped, the
three-toed, and the white or collared kingfisher. But we were late, the
sun was up, and the tide was coming in. The mangroves were exciting, but
would we see birds? "Make sure you catch the six o'clock ferry," our
guide had told us the previous evening. The ferry from Ribandar to
Choroa itself is an experience for the uninitiated - I found it hugely
exciting to drive our vehicle on to the ferry, chug across in the
stately barge, and drive off on the other side!
Lady luck was smiling, though. Within minutes, a black-capped kingfisher
flew overhead, close enough for us to see the black on the head. And in
the distance, the better sighted among us saw another smaller bird with
a pinkish head, which we later identified as the three-toed kingfisher.
On the shore we saw egrets and herons, and perched on a bamboo pole in
the water, a brahminy kite waiting patiently for fish.
A thick growth of mangroves lined both shores; creating a magical play
of warm green and dappled gold. Like silent sentinels they stood, with
their aerial roots and gnarled trunks, ancient guardians of a rich
heritage.
Occupying a rather special place in the hearts of nature lovers,
mangroves are salt-tolerant plant communities specially adapted to
coastal and estuarine inter-tidal zones of tropical and sub-tropical
regions. They are at the heart of a unique and fragile eco-system, and
the IUCN lists 60 species the world over. Of these, 44 have been
documented in Asia, and 32 in India. Goa is home to 13 of these species,
along with one introduced species. Choroa Island is home to most of the
species found in Goa.
Situated at the western tip of the island, at the confluence of the
Mandovi and the Mapusa rivers, the Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is
spread across two sq. km. of rich mangrove forests. The sanctuary is
home to a variety of water birds, several species of kites, flying
foxes, jackals, crocodiles and turtles. We also saw mudskippers, those
fascinating "fish that walk". Glistening in the wet mud of the flats and
lapped by the tides, these creatures are specially adapted to live in
the soft mud of the inter-tidal zones, with their ability to lock water
in their gills as well as to breathe air through special membranes in
their mouth and throat, and through moist skin.
Surviving commercialisation
As the sun climbed overhead and the tide rose, so did the traffic on the
river. The Mandovi is the largest of Goa's seven rivers, and a major
waterway for the transportation of iron ore. We stopped to watch one of
the barges and its powerful wake; and the upheaval it caused among the
mangrove saplings. Even before the ripple died, it was crossed by a
picturesque houseboat carrying tourists on a backwater cruise.
We turned back upriver, but the picture remained in my mind, a stark
image of the challenge facing Goa's mangroves. Would the mangroves
survive in the wake of commerce? Would Goa's 'green tourism' make the
necessary difference?
Factfile
Access to Choroa Island is by ferry from Ribandar, about five km east of
Panaji, and then by foot. Bikes are available for hire on the island,
but there are few roads. The sanctuary is open throughout the year.
Permission to visit the bird sanctuary can be obtained from Chief Wild
Life Warden, Forest Department, Junta House, Panaji. There is also a
Wildlife Office on Choroa Island, from where you can buy entry tickets.
Forest guides as well as local guides are available with boats.
Early morning and evening are the best time for bird sightings.
http://www.hindu.com/mag/2006/04/30/stories/2006043000230800.htm
~(^^)~
Avelino
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