In December, a Baillon’s Crake a
rare migratory bird to Sri Lanka was spotted in Kirala kele
With World Wetland Day being
celebrated on Thursday (February 2) bird lovers here have called to protect the
Kirala Kele wetland that recently made headlines due to the sighting of a
record number of migratory birds.
Kirala Kele in Sinhala means
‘forest of kirala trees- or a ‘mangrove forest’. It covers an area of 1,800 ha
with 310 ha of it being designated a wetland located at the exit of the
Southern expressway in Godagama about three km from Matara town.
In December, a Baillon’s Crake a
rare migratory bird to Sri Lanka was spotted in Kirala kele. The bird was seen
in a particular area of the wetland, and bird watchers flocked to the wetland
to see this rare bird. Subsequently more rare migratory birds such as the
grey-headed lapwing, turtle dove, comb duck, marsh and even the greater spotted
eagle were sighted in a small stretch of the wetland.
Kirala Kele earlier came under
the purview of the Southern Development Authority. It was deemed a sanctuary in
2003 and declared as a conserved area under the ‘Sri Lanka – picturesque sites
programme’ by a special gazette notification. Kirala kele is made up of
different types of wetlands – marshland, mangrove areas, paddy lands, and
irrigation canals – as well as numerous home gardens as it borders populated
villages. Several encroachments are visible in many areas and concerned
environmentalists have brought to attention the urgent need to protect it.
Ruhuna University’s Prof.Saman
Chandana Ediriweera who has been researching the biodiversity of Kirala Kele
for several years says, ” the area is an ideal wetland habitat for many
organisms and can be considered as one of the most valuable conserved areas in
the Matara District.” According to a study conducted by IUCN Sri Lanka, 83
plant species, 25 species of fish and 13 mammal species including the endemic
Purple-faced Leaf Monkey inhabit Kirala Kele. The study recorded 103 bird
species of which 48 were wetland birds and with the recent sighting of rare
birds the number would be higher, Prof. Ediriweera said.
