Odishatv Bureau
Berhampur: Entry has been prohibited into Nalabana, the bird sanctuary area inside the Chilika lake by the wildlife authorities in view of the bird census, official sources said today. The blanket ban to entry of anyone, even government officials would continue till January 8.

"No one is allowed to enter the sanctuary area except wildlife patrolling party. It will be enforced till January 8 till the conclusion of the bird census," said Principal Chief Conservator of the Forest (Wildlife) J D Sharma. The ban was strictly enforced to prevent disturbance to the migratory birds in the sanctuary area, just before the counting their numbers, PCCF (Wildlife) added. The counting of the birds will be made on two days on January seven and eight in entire lake spreading over around 1100-sq.km. "The total ban in the Nalabana area will also help us to prevent bird poaching on the eve of the New Year," said divisional forest officer B P Acharya.

DFO said as per preliminary survey more number of migratory birds congregated this time in sanctuary area than last year. The exact number would be known after enumeration. The winged guests mostly from beyond the Himalayas in the Northern Eurasia, Caspian region, Siberia, Kazakh, Lake Baikal and the remote areas of Russia and neighbouring countries visit the Chilika every winter and start their homeward journey before onset of summer.

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