Adyar Eco Park
Encyclopedia
Tholkappia Poonga or Adyar Eco Park (also known as Adyar Poonga ) is an ecological park set up by the Government of Tamil Nadu
in the Adyar estuary area of Chennai
, India. According to the government, the project, conceived based on the master plan for the restoration of the vegetation of the freshwater eco-systems of the Coromandel Coast
, especially the fragile eco-system of the Adyar estuary and creek, was expected to cost around 1,000 million which will include the beautification of 358 acres (1.4 km²) of land. The park's ecosystem consists of tropical dense evergreen forest
, predominantly comprising trees and shrubs that have thick dark green foliage throughout the year, with over 160 woody species, and comprises six vegetative elements such as trees, shrubs, lianas, epiphytes, herbs and tuberous species. The park was opened to public by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi
on 22 January 2011 and named Tholkappia Poonga after the renowned Tamil scholar Tholkappiar. About 65% of the poonga is covered by water and artefacts and signages. In the first 2 months of its inauguration, nearly 4,000 children from several schools in the city and the nearby Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur
districts have visited the park to learn about wetland
conservation, eco-restoration
and water management.
Taluk at about 15 km west of Tambaram
and gains momentum as a stream from Chembarambakkam lake
. It runs through Chennai for 42 km before draining into the Bay of Bengal
, forming an estuary
, which extends from the Adyar Bridge to the sandbar at the edge of the sea, with some small islets in-between. Just before joining the sea at a sand bar on the shore, one part of the river takes off northward beyond the Chettinad Palace as a small inlet of water forming a tidal creek. The creek takes a U-turn near Foreshore Estate
. It surrounds what was formerly called Quibble Island
, stopping short of completely encircling it. The estuary covers an area of about 300 acres. The low salinity, good shelters, calm conditions and high plankton
availability in the creek serves as a good nursery for fish. The flow of tidal water in and out of the creek allowed for easy travel of boats. It therefore encouraged fishing and there was a thriving economy of fish trade here. However, with the city's sewage and effluence from its various industries, for some time, emptying into the river, the biological activities in the region was affected.
The Adyar wetland reserve is a significant link for birds on their great annual migrations, particularly the wading birds which feed on the coastal mudflats. Historically, approximately 200 species of migratory birds visited the Adyar Creek region but many are now on the endangered IUCN Red List
. The restoration of this coastal wetland ecosystem will encourage many of these species to return.
, the then commissioner of the Chennai Corporation, in 2004. In a bid to take up ecological restoration of the Adyar estuary, the Tamil Nadu Government constituted the Adyar Poonga Trust in October 2006 and entrusted the work of preparing an ecological restoration plan with Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, Auroville
, Pondicherry in February 2007. The ecological restoration aimed at an eco-park that will be a showcase ecosystem of the Coromandel Coast with fresh water ponds, brackish areas, mangroves, mud flats, dunes, and islands. The improvement did not begin until clearance in June 2004. Once completed, it is claimed to become the first eco-tourism venture in the state. A major portion of the boundary wall for the park was built by the Chennai Corporation
in 2006 at a cost of 15 million, while the remaining improvements could not be carried out owing to encroachments on the land. The area before restoration used to be a filthy place, with debris strewn around. Cattle was being reared by neighbouring slum dwellers and antisocials made merry in the area that was full of thickets. Initial assessment of the creek area was, in fact, done from the nearby high-rise structures because no one could enter the poonga (creek). Following action by the civic body, the squatters of Rajah Gramani Thottam were removed and allotted to Slum Clearance Board tenements in Semmenchery in early July 2007. The issue was also taken up by the members of the Corporation Council. As a result, the remaining portion of compound wall was made higher.
are the trustees.
M. Karunanidhi
, the then chief minister of Tamil Nadu, laid the foundation stone for the project in August 2007.
About 4.16 acres of Phase I development has been categorised as Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) III.
On getting approval for the second phase from the government, cleaning of the stretch between the Kotturpuram bridge and Greenways Road would commence with the active participation of the Chennai Corporation
and Chennai Metrowater. Work on restoration of flora between Thiru.Vi.Ka. Bridge and Santhome Causeway would also be taken up. Removal of Prosopis
, an exotic species, from the eco park would be carried out as part of this phase of the project. Rhizophora
and Avicennia
species would be planted in the area instead. Stabilisation of bunds, river banks, creek and small islands in the area would form part of Phase II. The project would also restore the normal tidal inflow into the creek and estuary and make the place a haven for more species of aquatic birds.
There are proposals to enlarge the culverts below Santhome Causeway to allow passage of water in and out of the creek. Mangrove plantations will also come up along the river to the Thiru-Vi-Ka bridge in Adyar.
A total of 143 species of fish, amphibians, birds and reptiles have been seen in the park and the number is expected to go up to 200 once the project is completed. More than 85 different kinds of birds, including rare black bittern
, cinnamon bittern
, black-winged kite
, white-bellied sea eagle
, pied kingfisher
, yellow wagtails, egret
, chestnut-winged cuckoo
, and black-winged stilt
have been spotted by ornithologists in the green expanse. After the northeast monsoon of 2011, painted storks have been spotted in the park after several years. Butterflies, including the rare painted lady
and black rajah
and blue-tailed green darner
dragon fly, have been among those spotted here. Crows, myna
hs, blue rock pigeons
and water paddybirds
walk on the sand near the waterbodies. Non-poisonous snakes, soft and hard shell turtles, painted frogs
and green pond frogs
can also be seen in the park. The restoration has also improved the quality of water, which according to Central Pollution Control Board norms, is suitable for propagation of wildlife.
Other species spotted in the vicinity after restoration include mammals such as grey mongoose and Indian flying fox, reptiles such as common Indian bronzeback
and saw-scaled viper, amphibians such as Flapshell turtle
, Indian painted frog
, skipper frog
, Common Indian toad, green frog
(a protected species under schedule 1) and the soft-shelled turtle
(also an endangered species), fishes such as Indian shortfin eel
, spotted snakehead
, and Flathead mullet
. Around 10 species of mammals, 90 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles and amphibians, 56 species of butterflies, 20 different dragonflies and 30 species of fish have been identified so far.
The number of species of birds in the park has increased from 33 in 2007 to 90 in 2010. Reptiles have increased from 14 in 2007 to 29 in 2010. Ambhibians have increased from three in 2007 to 10 in 2010.
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in the Adyar estuary area of Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, India. According to the government, the project, conceived based on the master plan for the restoration of the vegetation of the freshwater eco-systems of the Coromandel Coast
Coromandel Coast
The Coromandel Coast is the name given to the southeastern coast of the Indian Subcontinent between Cape Comorin and False Divi Point...
, especially the fragile eco-system of the Adyar estuary and creek, was expected to cost around 1,000 million which will include the beautification of 358 acres (1.4 km²) of land. The park's ecosystem consists of tropical dense evergreen forest
Evergreen forest
An temperate evergreen forest is a forest consisting entirely or mainly of evergreen trees that retain green foliage all year round. Such forests exist in the tropics primarily as broadleaf evergreens, and in temperate and boreal latitudes primarily as coniferous evergreens.-Tropical evergreen...
, predominantly comprising trees and shrubs that have thick dark green foliage throughout the year, with over 160 woody species, and comprises six vegetative elements such as trees, shrubs, lianas, epiphytes, herbs and tuberous species. The park was opened to public by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
on 22 January 2011 and named Tholkappia Poonga after the renowned Tamil scholar Tholkappiar. About 65% of the poonga is covered by water and artefacts and signages. In the first 2 months of its inauguration, nearly 4,000 children from several schools in the city and the nearby Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur
Tiruvallur District
Tiruvallur district is an administrative district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The town of Thiruvallur is the district headquarters. The district has a mixture of urban and rural characteristics...
districts have visited the park to learn about wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
conservation, eco-restoration
Ecosystem management
Ecosystem management is a process that aims to conserve major ecological services and restore natural resources while meeting the socioeconomic, political and cultural needs of current and future generations. The principal objective of ecosystem management is the efficient maintenance, and ethical...
and water management.
Geography
The Adyar river originates from Malaipattu tank near Manimangalam village in SriperumbudurSriperumbudur
Sriperumbudur is an industrial city in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located in proximity to Chennai. It is famous for being the birth place of Sri Ramanuja, one of the most prominent Hindu Vaishnava saints as well as the town where former Indian Prime Minister...
Taluk at about 15 km west of Tambaram
Tambaram
Tambaram is a suburb of Chennai situated 27 km south of the city in Tamil Nadu, India. It is an urban node. Tambaram is a hub to all major destinations in south Tamil Nadu as it lies on the busy Chennai–Trichy national highway. The highway and the railway line from Chennai Egmore to...
and gains momentum as a stream from Chembarambakkam lake
Chembarambakkam Lake
Chembarambakkam lake is a lake located in the Kanchipuram district of India, about 40 km from Chennai, South India. It is one of the two rain-fed reservoirs from where water is drawn for supply to Chennai City, the other one being the Puzhal Lake. The Adyar River originates from this lake...
. It runs through Chennai for 42 km before draining into the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
, forming an estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
, which extends from the Adyar Bridge to the sandbar at the edge of the sea, with some small islets in-between. Just before joining the sea at a sand bar on the shore, one part of the river takes off northward beyond the Chettinad Palace as a small inlet of water forming a tidal creek. The creek takes a U-turn near Foreshore Estate
Foreshore Estate
Foreshore Estate is a neighbourhood in Chennai, India.It is one of the primary sites in the city for the immersion of the Ganesh idols during the annual Ganesh festival. The idols are first paraded down South Marina Beach before being bought to Foreshore Estate for immersion in the sea. The...
. It surrounds what was formerly called Quibble Island
Quibble Island
Quibble Island is a river island in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is formed by the Adyar River and one of its tributaries. It is situated between the Chennai neighbourhoods of Mylapore and Adyar. During British rule, a European cemetery was located here....
, stopping short of completely encircling it. The estuary covers an area of about 300 acres. The low salinity, good shelters, calm conditions and high plankton
Plankton
Plankton are any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. That is, plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
availability in the creek serves as a good nursery for fish. The flow of tidal water in and out of the creek allowed for easy travel of boats. It therefore encouraged fishing and there was a thriving economy of fish trade here. However, with the city's sewage and effluence from its various industries, for some time, emptying into the river, the biological activities in the region was affected.
The Adyar wetland reserve is a significant link for birds on their great annual migrations, particularly the wading birds which feed on the coastal mudflats. Historically, approximately 200 species of migratory birds visited the Adyar Creek region but many are now on the endangered IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
. The restoration of this coastal wetland ecosystem will encourage many of these species to return.
Early Phase
An estimated not more than 500 acres of undisturbed tropical dry evergreen forest remains in Tamil Nadu and the Eco park, aiming at the restoration of more than 350 acres, serves as a significant conservation effort to bring this vegetation back to the Coromandel coast. The Eco park was conceptualized by M.P.VijayakumarM.P.Vijayakumar
M.P.Vijayakumar is a former Indian Civil Servant known for pioneering Activity-based learning or ABL education system in India. He is regarded as one of the country's leading public educationalists. He was awarded the Prime Ministers Award for excellence in Public Administration for the year...
, the then commissioner of the Chennai Corporation, in 2004. In a bid to take up ecological restoration of the Adyar estuary, the Tamil Nadu Government constituted the Adyar Poonga Trust in October 2006 and entrusted the work of preparing an ecological restoration plan with Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, Auroville
Auroville
Auroville is an "experimental" township in Viluppuram district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, near Pondicherry in South India. It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa and designed by architect Roger Anger...
, Pondicherry in February 2007. The ecological restoration aimed at an eco-park that will be a showcase ecosystem of the Coromandel Coast with fresh water ponds, brackish areas, mangroves, mud flats, dunes, and islands. The improvement did not begin until clearance in June 2004. Once completed, it is claimed to become the first eco-tourism venture in the state. A major portion of the boundary wall for the park was built by the Chennai Corporation
Chennai Corporation
Chennai Corporation , formerly known as Madras Corporation, is the civic body that governs the city of Chennai , India. The Chennai Corporation is the oldest municipal body of the Commonwealth of Nations outside the United Kingdom and the oldest corporation in India...
in 2006 at a cost of 15 million, while the remaining improvements could not be carried out owing to encroachments on the land. The area before restoration used to be a filthy place, with debris strewn around. Cattle was being reared by neighbouring slum dwellers and antisocials made merry in the area that was full of thickets. Initial assessment of the creek area was, in fact, done from the nearby high-rise structures because no one could enter the poonga (creek). Following action by the civic body, the squatters of Rajah Gramani Thottam were removed and allotted to Slum Clearance Board tenements in Semmenchery in early July 2007. The issue was also taken up by the members of the Corporation Council. As a result, the remaining portion of compound wall was made higher.
The Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust
Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited has been charged with engaging consultants to develop a master plan and invite bidders for development of the park. The Adyar Creek Trust has been set up by the government of Tamil Nadu to coordinate the execution of the project. The Adyar Poonga Trust has been rechristened as Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT). The Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu is the chairperson for the trust and the secretaries in the Finance Department, Municipal Administration and Water Supplies, Highways Department, Public Works Department, Environment and Forest Department, and the Commissioner, Corporation of ChennaiChennai Corporation
Chennai Corporation , formerly known as Madras Corporation, is the civic body that governs the city of Chennai , India. The Chennai Corporation is the oldest municipal body of the Commonwealth of Nations outside the United Kingdom and the oldest corporation in India...
are the trustees.
M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
, the then chief minister of Tamil Nadu, laid the foundation stone for the project in August 2007.
Phase I
Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants are the lead consultants in the ecological restoration of 58-acres of the Adyar creek estuary. As part of the master plan for the restoration of the creek area, a 40-m causeway connecting Karpagam Avenue near Greenways Road with Mandaveli was demolished and was replaced by a wooden bridge 40-m long and 3-m wide. In the first phase of the ecological restoration plan which covers 58 acres costing 230 million, more than 91,280 varieties of saplings of 172 endemic species of trees, herbs, shrubs, reeds and tuberous plants were planted to serve as habitat for aquatic, terrestrial and arboreal species, chiefly at locations such as the entrance plaza, swale area near Town Planning Scheme Road, the rear side of Ambedkar Manimandapam and along Santhome entrance plaza, lakes were desilted, and a play area for children was created. About 37,600 reeds have been planted along the water margins. Development works include land development (including excavation), construction of visitors' orientation area, three wooden bridges and a steel bridge for sightseers, a green centre, nursery building, children's interactive learning centre, environmental education centre, bamboo pavilions, signages and exhibits. The green centre has been planned in the erstwhile fisheries building near Ramakrishna Mutt Road. An audio visual room, environmental education centre, library to document creek activities, laboratory to check water quality, a souvenir shop, coffee corner, all form part of the centre. The CRRT had to excavate 150,000 tonnes of construction debris and garbage from the site to create a water body embellished with earthen pathways, wooden bridges, signage and bamboo pavilions. A total of 266,000 cubic metres of earth was removed from the site to create a park. The Phase I of the park has 1,36,560 plants of 172 indigenous species with about 1,000 name boards with inscriptions of the botanical names. It also includes solar-powered lights, seven water tanks, PVC pipes for a length of 3,100 m, and roads and pathways stretching 4 km on the 58-acre campus. The environmental clearance for the Adyar Poonga was obtained from the Union ministry of environment and forests in mid-January 2011. The park was opened to public on 22 January 2011. One fourth of the 58-acre poonga would be the conservation zone to which public would have no access.About 4.16 acres of Phase I development has been categorised as Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) III.
Phase II
The second phase of the project covers eco restoration of about 300 acres of the Adyar creek and estuary. The plan for the second phase had been prepared and work started in January, on the day of inauguration of the first phase of the park. Work on the phase is estimated to cost 189.3 million. The CRRT will soon make an application seeking permission from the State Coastal Zone Management Authority for commencing the second phase of the Adyar Poonga. The area covered under the second phase falls under CRZ III category. The authority would examine the project proposed in the CRZ area and give its recommendations for it to be referred to the government.On getting approval for the second phase from the government, cleaning of the stretch between the Kotturpuram bridge and Greenways Road would commence with the active participation of the Chennai Corporation
Chennai Corporation
Chennai Corporation , formerly known as Madras Corporation, is the civic body that governs the city of Chennai , India. The Chennai Corporation is the oldest municipal body of the Commonwealth of Nations outside the United Kingdom and the oldest corporation in India...
and Chennai Metrowater. Work on restoration of flora between Thiru.Vi.Ka. Bridge and Santhome Causeway would also be taken up. Removal of Prosopis
Prosopis
Prosopis is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains around 45 species of spiny trees and shrubs found in subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas, Africa, Western Asia, and South Asia. They often thrive in arid soil and are resistant to drought, on occasion...
, an exotic species, from the eco park would be carried out as part of this phase of the project. Rhizophora
Rhizophora
Rhizophora is a genus of tropical mangrove trees, sometimes collectively called true mangroves. The most notable species is the Red Mangrove but some other species and a few natural hybrids are known. Rhizophora species generally live in intertidal zones which are indundated daily by the ocean...
and Avicennia
Avicennia
Avicennia is a genus of flowering plants currently placed in the bear's breeches family, Acanthaceae. It contains mangrove trees, which occur in the intertidal zones of estuarine areas and are characterized by aerial roots. Species of Avicennia occur worldwide south of the Tropic of Cancer.The...
species would be planted in the area instead. Stabilisation of bunds, river banks, creek and small islands in the area would form part of Phase II. The project would also restore the normal tidal inflow into the creek and estuary and make the place a haven for more species of aquatic birds.
There are proposals to enlarge the culverts below Santhome Causeway to allow passage of water in and out of the creek. Mangrove plantations will also come up along the river to the Thiru-Vi-Ka bridge in Adyar.
Floras and Faunas
Although around 200 species of birds have been reported in the creek area in the past, several of these had vanished from the vicinity because of rapid urbanisation.A total of 143 species of fish, amphibians, birds and reptiles have been seen in the park and the number is expected to go up to 200 once the project is completed. More than 85 different kinds of birds, including rare black bittern
Black Bittern
The Black Bittern, Ixobrychus flavicollis, is a bittern of Old World origin, breeding in tropical Asia from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka east to China, Indonesia and Australia. It is mainly resident, but some northern birds migrate short distances....
, cinnamon bittern
Cinnamon Bittern
The Cinnamon Bittern or Chestnut Bittern is a small bittern. It is of Old World origins, breeding in tropical Asia from Pakistan to Sri Lanka east to China and Indonesia. It is mainly resident, but some northern birds migrate short distances.This is a small species at 38 cm length, with a...
, black-winged kite
Black-winged Kite
The Black-winged Kite is a small diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae best known for its habit of hovering over open grasslands in the manner of the much-smaller kestrels...
, white-bellied sea eagle
White-bellied Sea Eagle
The White-bellied Sea Eagle , also known as the White-breasted Sea Eagle, is a large diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Originally described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, it is closely related to Sanford's Sea Eagle of the Solomon Islands, and the two are considered a superspecies...
, pied kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
The Pied Kingfisher is a water kingfisher and is found widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Their black and white plumage, crest and the habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish makes it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast while females have a...
, yellow wagtails, egret
Egret
An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
, chestnut-winged cuckoo
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
The Chestnut-winged Cuckoo or Red-winged Crested Cuckoo is a cuckoo found in Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. It has dark glossy upperparts, a black head with long crest chestnut wings, a long graduated glossy black tail, rufous throat dusky underside and a narrow white nuchal half collar...
, and black-winged stilt
Black-winged Stilt
The Black-winged Stilt or Common Stilt is a widely distributed very long-legged wader in the avocet and stilt family . Opinions differ as to whether the birds treated under the scientific name H. himantopus ought to be treated as a single species and if not, how many species to recognize...
have been spotted by ornithologists in the green expanse. After the northeast monsoon of 2011, painted storks have been spotted in the park after several years. Butterflies, including the rare painted lady
Painted Lady
The Cynthia group of colourful butterflies, commonly called painted ladies, comprises a subgenus of the genus Vanessa in the Family Nymphalidae...
and black rajah
Charaxes solon
The Black Rajah is a butterfly species found in tropical Asia. It belongs to the Charaxinae in the brush-footed butterfly family .-Description:...
and blue-tailed green darner
Green Darner
The Green Darner or Common Green Darner , after its resemblance to a darning-needle, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. One of the most common and abundant species throughout North America and its range south to Panama. It is well known for its great migration distance from the...
dragon fly, have been among those spotted here. Crows, myna
Myna
The myna is a bird of the starling family . This is a group of passerine birds which occur naturally only in southern and eastern Asia...
hs, blue rock pigeons
Rock Pigeon
The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
and water paddybirds
Indian Pond Heron
The Indian Pond Heron or Paddybird is a small heron. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Iran and east to India, Burma, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. They are widespread and common but can be easily missed when they stalk prey at the edge of small water-bodies or even when they roost...
walk on the sand near the waterbodies. Non-poisonous snakes, soft and hard shell turtles, painted frogs
Painted Frog
Painted Frog may refer to:*Atelopus ebenoides – from Central America*Discoglossus pictus – from the central Mediterranean region.*Neobatrachus pictus – from southern Australia*Neobatrachus sudelli – from eastern Australia...
and green pond frogs
Rana (genus)
Rana is a genus of frogs. Species include such archetypal pond frogs as the common frog of Europe, brown frogs, and the New and Old World true frogs, including the various species of leopard frogs and the American bullfrog. Members of this genus are found through much of Eurasia, North America,...
can also be seen in the park. The restoration has also improved the quality of water, which according to Central Pollution Control Board norms, is suitable for propagation of wildlife.
Other species spotted in the vicinity after restoration include mammals such as grey mongoose and Indian flying fox, reptiles such as common Indian bronzeback
Dendrelaphis tristis
The Bronzeback Dendrelaphis tristis is a species of tree-snake found in South Asia.-Description:It is a long slender snake with a pointed head and a bronze coloured line running down its back. Feeds on geckos and frogs. This harmless snake prefers the tree tops to life on the ground...
and saw-scaled viper, amphibians such as Flapshell turtle
Indian flapshell turtle
Indian flapshell turtle is a fresh water species of turtle found in South Asia. The “Flap-shelled” name stems from the presence of femoral flaps that are located on the plastron. These flaps of skin serve the purpose of covering the limbs when they retract into the shell. It is unclear what...
, Indian painted frog
Painted Frog
Painted Frog may refer to:*Atelopus ebenoides – from Central America*Discoglossus pictus – from the central Mediterranean region.*Neobatrachus pictus – from southern Australia*Neobatrachus sudelli – from eastern Australia...
, skipper frog
Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis
The Indian Skipper Frog or Skittering Frog is a common frog found in South Asia. They are slimy and are often seen at the edge of bodies of water with their eyes above the water. They noisily move away from the shore when disturbed, giving them their common name...
, Common Indian toad, green frog
Green frog
The Green Frog is a species of frog native to the eastern half of the United States and Canada. There are two subspecies—the Bronze Frog and the Northern Green Frog.-Description:...
(a protected species under schedule 1) and the soft-shelled turtle
Trionychidae
Trionychidae is a taxonomic family which comprises a number of turtle genera commonly known as softshells. They are also sometimes called pancake turtles. Softshells consist of some of the world's largest fresh water turtles, though many can adapt to living in highly brackish areas. Members of this...
(also an endangered species), fishes such as Indian shortfin eel
Indian shortfin eel
The Indian shortfin eel, Anguilla bicolor pacifica, is a species of eel in the genus Anguilla of the family Anguillidae....
, spotted snakehead
Channa
Channa is a genus of the Channidae family of snakehead fishes. This genus contains about 29 species, but the most well known are probably northern snakehead and the giant snakehead . Channa has a wide natural distribution extending from Iran in the West, to China in the East, and parts of Siberia...
, and Flathead mullet
Flathead mullet
The flathead mullet, Mugil cephalus, is a mullet of the genus Mugil, found in coastal tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Its length is typically 30 to 75 centimeters...
. Around 10 species of mammals, 90 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles and amphibians, 56 species of butterflies, 20 different dragonflies and 30 species of fish have been identified so far.
The number of species of birds in the park has increased from 33 in 2007 to 90 in 2010. Reptiles have increased from 14 in 2007 to 29 in 2010. Ambhibians have increased from three in 2007 to 10 in 2010.
Visitor information
The park is not open to public currently. Given the fragile ecology of the poonga, the monitoring committee appointed by the Madras High Court had recommended minimum human interference in the poonga, which is presently intended to serve as a centre for environmental education as well as research activities. The poonga will be kept open for students from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm. It will remain closed on Sundays. The Poonga is currently open to groups of school children, accompanied by teachers/staff of the educational institution, with an entry fee of 5 per head.External links
- AdyarPoonga.com
- Karunanidhi to inaugurate Adyar eco park work in: The HinduThe HinduThe Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, retrieved on July 18, 2008 - Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd.
- Adyar Eco Project plan at Auroville.org
