Chilika
| Chilika Lake "ଚିଲିକା ହ୍ରଦ" |
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Fishermen pushing against the tide
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| Coordinates | 19°43′N 85°19′E / 19.717°N 85.317°ECoordinates: 19°43′N 85°19′E / 19.717°N 85.317°E |
| Lake type | Brackish |
| Primary inflows | 52 streams including the Bhargavi, Daya, Makra, Malaguni and Luna rivers |
| Primary outflows | old mouth at Arakhakuda, new mouth at Satapada to Bay of Bengal |
| Catchment area | 3,560 km2 (1,370 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | India |
| Max. length | 64.3 km (40.0 mi) |
| Surface area | min.: 900 km2 (347 sq mi) max.: 1,165 km2 (450 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 4.2 m (13.8 ft) |
| Water volume | 4 km3 (3,200,000 acre·ft) |
| Surface elevation | 0 – 2 m (6.6 ft) |
| Islands | 223 km2 (86 sq mi): Badakuda, Breakfast, Honeymoon, Kalijai Hill,Birds Island, Kanthapantha, Krushnaprasadrah (Old Parikuda), Nalabana, Nuapara, Somolo and Sanakuda. |
| Settlements | Puri and Satpara |
| References | |
| Designated | 1 October 1981 |
Chilika lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Odisha state on the east coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering an area of over 1,100 km2. It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest lagoon in the world after The New Caledonian barrier reef in New Caledonia.
It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent. The lake is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals.
The lake is an ecosystem with large fishery resources. It sustains more than 150,000 fisher–folk living in 132 villages on the shore and islands.
The lagoon hosts over 160 species of birds in the peak migratory season. Birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Central and southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come here. These birds travel great distances; migratory birds probably follow much longer routes than the straight lines, possibly up to 12,000 km, to reach Chilika Lake.
In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
According to a survey, 45 percent of the birds are terrestrial in nature, 32 percent are waterfowl, and 23 percent are waders. The lagoon is also home to 14 types of raptors. Around 152 rare and endangered Irrawaddy dolphins have also been reported. Plus, the lagoon supports about 37 species of reptiles and amphibians.
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Wikipedia