About Greater Flamingo Sanctuary:
- Location: It is located in Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.
- It is nestled within the ecologically sensitive Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve.
- It is home to a variety of ecosystems, including mangroves, sand dunes, mudflats, and marshes.
- It is a critical stopover point along the Central Asian Flyway for thousands of migratory wetland birds.
- Fauna: This region supports 128 bird species, including Greater and Lesser Flamingos and provide habitats for marine life, including fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and nesting sea turtles.
- Flora: It features diverse ecosystems and mangrove forests like Avicennia and Rhizophora, which stabilise the coastline.
Key Facts about Greater Flamingo
- It is a large wading bird known for its distinctive pink feathers and unique feeding habits.
- Distribution: Its range spans Africa, western Asia, and southern Europe.
- Habitat: It is usually found in shallow, saline, alkaline wetlands, such as salt lakes, coastal lagoons, intertidal mudflats, and saltworks during the breeding season.
- Conservation Status
- IUCN: Least concern
- Wild Life Protection Act: Schedule-II.
