About Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary:
- Location: It is a significant wetland sanctuary located in the West Godavari and Krishna districts of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
- It was established in November 1999, under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
- The sanctuary protects part of the Kolleru Lake wetland, which gained Ramsar Convention for International importance in 2002.
- It is a crucial wetland ecosystem and serves as a stopover point for migratory birds.
- Flora: The sanctuary's flora includes various aquatic plants, submerged macrophytes, and wetland vegetation that provide essential food and shelter for the diverse bird species.
- Fauna: Commonly found birds in the sanctuary are: little egret, cattle egret, pied kingfisher, small blue kingfisher, blackcapped kingfisher, pond heron, reef heron, grey heron, night heron, etc.
Key Facts about Kolleru Lake:
- It is the largest freshwater lake in India.
- It is located in Andhra Pradesh between the Krishna and Godavari deltas and covers an area of 308 km².
- The lake serves as a natural flood-balancing reservoir for these two rivers.
- The lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru streams, and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari systems by over 68 inflowing drains and channels.
- It serves as a habitat for migratory birds.
- The lake was notified as a wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 under India's Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and designated a wetland of international importance in November 2002 under the international Ramsar Convention.
