Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary (PCWBS) is a protected area in Tamil Nadu, located at the Point Calimere, the south-eastern tip of the state. It is surrounded by the Palk Strait from the south, the Bay of Bengal from the east, and swampy backwaters and salt pans from the west and north.
Key Points for UPSC Prelims
- The sanctuary was formed in the year 1967 for the conservation of the blackbuck antelope, an endemic mammal species of India.
- Before 1988, Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary was known as Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary. It was in the year 1988, that the sanctuary was expanded to include the Talaignayar Reserve Forest and the Great Vedaranyam Swamp. Since then it was renamed the Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary.
- Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary is spread over an area of 21.47 square Km.
- The sanctuary is an area of high biodiversity with several unique species. Every year, several migratory birds fly to the sanctuary for winters.
- Blackbuck antelope is the flagship species of the area. It is also famous for large flocks of waterbirds, especially greater flamingos.
Himalayan Griffon vulture spotted at Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
Himalayan Griffon vulture, which is native to the Himalayas, has been recently spotted at the Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu. The vulture has been spotted after 12 years in the sanctuary. It was last spotted in the year 2008 in the sanctuary as per the Biodiversity Conservation Foundation (BCF).
Himalayan Griffon vulture is also considered the largest bird found in the Himalayan region. These are huge vultures with long wings and a short tale. The vulture has also been designated as ‘Near Threatened’ on the IUCN Red List.
Point Calimere
Point Calimere or Kodiakkarai is a low headland on the Coromandel Coast in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. Point Calimere is a Ramsar Convention, the convention on wetlands, since the year 2002