Puttenahalli Lake

Infobox_protected_area |align = left
name = Puttenahalli Lake Bird SanctuaryLocation map|India
label= Puttenahalli Lake WS
position=right
background=
lat=13.11
long=77.6
float=left
width=300
iucn_category = IV
location = Yelahanka, India
nearest_city = Bangalore
lat_degrees = 13
lat_minutes = 6.7
lat_seconds = 00
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 77
long_minutes = 36
long_seconds = 00
long_direction = E
area = 10 ha
established = proposed, 2007
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = [http://www.karnatakaforest.gov.in Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Karnataka]

Puttenahalli WS Lake is a 10-hectare water body near Yelahanka, 14 km north of Bangalore. It may soon become the first Bird Sanctuary in Karnataka. Biodiversity experts have discovered 49 species of birds breeding here. Among the birds found here are Darters, Painted storks, Black-crowned Night Herons, Purple Herons, Pond Herons, Egrets, Asian Openbill Storks, Eurasian Spoonbills, Spot-billed Pelican, Little Grebe, Little Cormorant, Spot-billed Ducks, Purple Moorhen, Common Sandpiper and other water-birds.

This lake is not to be confused with the more popular Puttenahalli lake, in J.P Nagar in South Bangalore.

Puttenahalli Yelahanka Lake is prominent because more than 7,000 birds can be sighted during the breedingseason. The 'avifauna' of this lake also includes some of the endangered and migratory birds from the Northern Himalayas and Siberia. "Many species which are listed under threatened category of (IUCN) find this lake as their favourite abode during breeding season.

The lake will have watch towers, trekking paths, guides to identify birds for tourists and other basic facilities. Steps are being taken to declare the 10-hectare water body as a protected area according to principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Avani Kumar Varma. Earlier, the lake was under Lake Development Authority (LDA) and was listed for further development for commercial purposes under Public-Private Partnership Model. "We have written to the state government to withdraw the lake from the LDA list and hand over to us. The government has already given the green signal and the process of declaring it as a conservation reserve is underway,". The new tag of conservation reserve will help in preserving the rich bird population in an urban set-up," he added.

References

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, April 25, (2007) retrieved 5/1/2007, [http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE120070425002613&Page=1&Title=Bangalore&Topic=0&aDate=4%2F25%2F2007 Puttenahalli lake to be bird reserve] , [http://newsrack.in/DisplayNewsItem.do;jsessionid=FF8EEF9B5F0FB64CC284D3B8B5E0088F?ni=25.4.2007%2F55.nie.crawler%2Fni88.NewsItems.asp_ID%3DIE120070425002613 Cached]