Several threatened species of birds categorised as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have been found nesting in the wetlands of India's Tamil Nadu, a recent survey has revealed.
The state's Chief Wildlife Warden Shekar Kumar Neeraj released the survey's findings on Tuesday, saying that thousands of rare, near-threatened species of birds were seen during the survey, including the spot-billed pelican, Eurasian spoonbill, oriental darter, painted stork, and black-headed Ibis.
"The findings have been astonishing with the presence of some bird species like river tern and common pochard that are categorised as vulnerable by the IUCN", Neeraj told the Indian news agency IANS.
While 20 common pochards were recorded from a satellite in the wetlands of the Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, the river terns, which are seen mostly at dam sites, were recorded at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
The near-threatened oriental darter was spotted in maximum numbers in the Koonthankulam, Vedathangal, and Vadavoor bird sanctuaries.
Around 700-800 uncommon comb ducks were also spotted in the Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary and its surrounding wetlands.