Pulicat Sanctuary

Area: 500-sq-km/50,000 ha.
Location: 60-km North Of Chennai, Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh

Description:
Pulicat Sanctuary is located 60-km from Chennai, spreading over Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu . It covers a total area of 500-sq-km. It is famous as the second largest brackish water lagoon in India along the coast of Bay Bengal. Backwaters of the sea attract large numbers of migratory water birds. It is also a well-known feeding and breeding ground for a variety of aquatic and terrestrial birds.

Visiting Season
October To March

Access:
Rail: Nearest railway station is at Sulurpet.
Road: By road it is about 60-km from Chennai in the Andhra Pradesh border Tourists can taxis and buses from Chennai.

Temperature:
The mean annual rainfall ranges from 500mm to 1,000mm and the mean annual temperature from 12oC to 42oC.

Accomodation:
Pulicat is not really a place offering creature comfort. There are Inspection Bungalows available at Sullurpet & Tada.

Wildlife
Flora: People living in the adjoining 16 islands and 30 villages are directly or indirectly dependent on the lake for their livelihood. It supports a rich bio-diversity. It is surrounded by southern tropical dry evergreen forest with species like Manilkara Hexandra, Albizzia Amara, Strychnos Muxvomica, Ficus Tiela, Dryopteris Sepiata, Pteriospermus, Uberifolium, Glaucum etc and mangrove forest with species like Ezcocaria, Agollocha, Auicenia Officinales, Acanthies Ilicifolius, Rhizophora Apiculata, Xylocarpus Moluecenix, Degiceros Conrniculatum.

Fauna: The most important bird species of this lake is Flamingo.. Other birds found here are Pelicans, Painted Storks, Open Billed Storks, Grey Herons, Cormorants, White Ibis, Spoon Bills, Egrets, Reef Herons, Spot Billed Ducks, Shovellers, Pintails, Sand Pipers, Gills, and River Tern etc.

Invertebrates like Prawn, Plankton and Mollusks and fishes of about 65 different species like Sable Fish, Sargin Fish, White, Black and Silver Promphets etc. can also be seen here. One can find reptiles like Monitor Lizard, lizards, snakes including poisionous ones like the spectacled cobra, Russel's Viper, and Krait etc.