Thiruvananthapuram: The move to declare a 3.36-hectare island in Chettuva backwaters in Thrissur as a bird sanctuary is yet to take off, though Siberian migratory birds and local migratory birds have been spotted at the mangrove forest.State govt approved the move in 2017 and 2023, but forest department declared it only as a community reserve.Chettuva mangroves, the largest in Kerala, are also part of the Central Asian Flyway, a bird migration route spanning 30 countries. Birders have spotted flocks of Great Knot, that flies 10,000 km from Siberia, Straggler, Caspian Plover and Sea Gulls.The island is part of Orumanayoor village in Chavakkad taluk. In 2017, revenue department decided to hand over the land to forest department to declare it as a sanctuary.The lake is surrounded by Manalur, Chettuva, Kandassankaadavy and Thriprayar. Canoli Canal, a heritage site, empties itself into Chettuva and Enammakavu lakes, forming a vast expanse of waterbody with mangroves.Thomas Lawrence, CEO, Save Wetlands International Movement (SWIM), said protecting the island was crucial for nesting, resting and foraging for these migratory birds.He said that a protected sanctuary is important because the island and patches of mangrove in the waterbody were prone to human intervention, while eco-tourism also led to disturbances to the fragile ecosystem and a decline in mangrove cover.Lawrence said there were more than 42 species of birds, including those declared as endangered in the IUCN list, and 12 species of mangroves.SWIM has again made a request to forest minister Shibu Baby John to declare the island a bird sanctuary.
