POINT CALIMERE,TAMIL NADU, JANUARY 11, 2006: What was once the stuff of legend has been comprehensively demonstrated on the ground in this wildlife sanctuary. Cold statistics and matching eyewitness accounts tell the rest of the story.
Forest officers of the Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary at Kodaikarai, some 65 km from Nagapattinam, say that 8 to 10 minutes before the giant tsunami waves crashed into the sanctuary, all the guards standing in observation towers saw the same spectacle: Virtually every animal, including droves of black bucks, spotted deer, wild boar and jackals, dashed towards higher grounds and stood there—like students at a school assembly.
The staff made a physical inspection and found only one wild boar dead. Probably it was sick and could not make it.
There are 2,200 animals of various species at the sanctuary and all of them are safe.
Among the animals that sensed the danger and fled were 1,800 black bucks, 250 spotted deer, 40 feral horses, and a number of wild boars and jackals which inhabit the 321 sq km sanctuary.
Even the guard at the lighthouse nearby saw the animals suddenly run inside the sanctuary. Birds__flamingoes and migratory ducks—also flew away before the waters came. They returned an hour later and started feeding as if nothing happened.
The lowlands have been totally ravaged by the sea water forcing the forest department to close down the sanctuary. Forest officials said rainwater harvesting systems, fresh water ponds and water holes have been inundated by sea water, rendering them useless.
The sanctuary is closed for public. The receding water has deposited a lot of mud which has not yet dried and it is almost impossible to enter the sanctuary. Only guards take rounds to make sure the animals are safe.
The biggest threat was faced by black bucks which stay close to the sea. Although the other animals were deeper inside, even they made a dash to higher grounds.
They are still staying away from the sea and fortunately for them, the small water holes inside the sanctuary have not been touched by sea water.
The sanctuary is famous for its 40 wild horses. Although the waters have receded, they are still seen grazing on elevated grounds and hillocks.
A YEAR AFTER TSUNAMI
The sea destroys wildlife habitat, rain restores it
KODIA KARAI, DEC 22, 2006, A YEAR AFTER TSUNAMI: The heavy rains in Tamil Nadu may have made life miserable for those living in the rehabilitation camps. But they have come as a blessing for the Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary at Kodia Karai.
Last year's tsunami deposited 40 cms of mud across the sanctuary's grasslands, destroying the prime habitat area of the park's main species—black buck and spotted deer. However, heavy rains in the past two months washed away the mud, and the landscape has become green once more, to the utter relief of forest officials.
The Point Calimere sanctuary, a kilometre from the sea shore, comprises about 20 sq km of grasslands and mangroves that provide a habitat for several species of animals and birds. It has 2,000-odd black bucks, 250 spotted deer, 56 feral horses, and 600-800 wild boars.
Eight minutes before the tsunami struck last year, the animals instinctively bolted from the coast and found safety on higher grounds. So, despite the fury of the waves, only one wild boar died. However, the tsunami destroyed the grasslands and rendered all the fresh water pools saline.
The animals survived, but with the habitat of the black bucks and the deer destroyed, the Forest Department was forced to close the sanctuary.
The tsunami deposited 40 cm thick mud in the affected areas of the sanctuary. The mud flats lay in prime grazing habitat areas. But to everyone’s joy, the heavy rains in the last few months—which have caused untold misery for other tsunami survivors—washed away these mud flats and the grasslands are back.
The park's rainwater harvesting systems, fresh water ponds and water holes were inundated by sea water. But with the grassland back, the department is working to restore the water supply. The forest department constructed a large rainwater recharge well to tackle salinity ingress. The heavy rains have also helped in forming a fresh water cushion. Many parts of the sanctuary are now inundated with ankle-deep fresh rain water which will rejuvenate the groundwater table and grasslands.
The Forest Department feared that the black bucks would vanish because they prefer grasslands near the coast. The animals did stay away from the coastal grasslands till the rains washed away the mud. With the grasslands regenerating slowly they have returned and are now found in their usual habitat.
The tsunami also inundated the Point Calimere bird sanctuary where thousands of flamingoes and other migratory birds visit every year and roost in the shallow waters. Many birds flew away after the tsunami but this year they are back in the thousands.
About 16 species of birds have already arrived, including about 20,000 flamingoes, a number of gull-billed terns, whiskered terns, gray pelicans, teals, curlew sandpipers and black-tailed godwits.
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