Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary is a 1.04 km² (0.401546244936236 sq mi) Protected area

Protected areas of India

As of May 2004, the protected areas of India cover , roughly 4.95% of the total surface area.-Classification:India has the following kinds of protected areas, in the sense of the word designated by IUCN:-National Park:...

 near Mudukulathur

Mudukulathur

Mudukulathur is a panchayat town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.A highly under-developed region of the state. Most of the families of this town and villages around are making their living out of farming and farm related activities,unfortunately that mainly depends on...

 Ramanathapuram District

Ramanathapuram District

Ramanathapuram District is an administrative district of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The city of Ramanathapuram is the district headquarters. Ramanthapuram District has an area of 4123 km²...

, Tamil Nadu

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...

. India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, declared in 1989. 9°20′N 78°29′E. It is adjacent to Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary

Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary

Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary locally known as "Chitrangudi Kanmoli" is a Protected area declared in 1989 and a part of Chitrangudi village, Mudukulathur Taluk, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is adjacent to Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary. It is notable as a nesting site for several...

. It is notable as a nesting site for several migratory Heron

Heron

The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....

 species that roost in the prominent growth of Babul

Acacia nilotica

Acacia nilotica is a species of Acacia native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent...

 trees there. International name: Chitragudi and Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary, IBA

Important Bird Area

An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...

 Code: IN261, Criteria: A1, A4i.

Flora

The sanctuary vegetation is mostly Tropical Dry Deciduous

Deccan thorn scrub forests

The Deccan thorn scrub forests is a xeric shrubland ecoregion of India and northernmost Sri Lanka, a large area that was once forest and home to large numbers of elephants and tigers.-Location and description:...

 forest. It is dominated by Babul along with Prosopis juliflora

Prosopis juliflora

Prosopis juliflora is a shrub or small tree native to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. It has become established as a weed in Asia, Australia and elsewhere. Its uses include forage, wood and environmental management. The tree grows to a height of up to and has a trunk with a diameter of...

 and the grasses Bermuda grass

Cynodon dactylon

Cynodon dactylon , also known as Dūrvā Grass, Bermuda Grass, Dubo, Dog's Tooth Grass, Bahama Grass, Devil's Grass, Couch Grass, Indian Doab, Arugampul, Grama, and Scutch Grass, is a grass native to north and east Africa, Asia and Australia and southern Europe...

 and Eremopogon foveolatus. The invasive

Invasive

Invasive may refer to:*A military invasion*An invasive species*An invasive medical procedure*The invasively progressive spread of disease from one organ in the body to another, especially in reference to cancer...

 Prosopis is slowly encroaching on much of the sanctuary area, retarding growth of Babuls. The irrigation tank

Irrigation tank

For etymology, see Storage tank#Etymology.In India, an irrigation tank or tank is an artificial reservoir of any size. . It can also have a natural or man-made spring included as part of a structure...

 bund

Bund

- Organizations :* German American Bund, a pro-Nazi pre-World War II organisation* General Jewish Labour Bund in Lithuania, Poland and Russia, a political party founded in the Russian Empire* General Jewish Labour Bund in Poland, a political party founded in Poland...

 and the area outside the tank have Tamarind trees, Fig

Ficus

Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...

 trees, Neem trees, Portia trees, Silk  trees (Albizzia amara), Drumstick

Moringa oleifera

Moringa oleifera, the word Moringa probably came from dravidian language Tamil and commonly referred to as "Shojne" in Bengali, "Munagakaya" in Telugu,"Shenano" in Rajasthani,...

 trees (Tamil: murungai, முருங்கை), and Palmyra

Borassus flabellifer

Borassus flabellifer, the Asian Palmyra palm, Toddy palm, Sugar palm, or Cambodian palm, is native to South and Southeast Asia, in the Indomalaya ecozone...

 palms.

Fauna

The breeding population of migratory waterbirds arrive here between October and February and include: Painted stork

Painted Stork

The Painted Stork is a large wading bird in the stork family. It is found in the wetlands of the plains of tropical Asia south of the Himalayas in South Asia and extending into Southeast Asia. Their distinctive pink tertial feathers give them their name. They forage in flocks in shallow waters...

, White ibis

White Ibis

There are three species of bird named White Ibis.* American White Ibis, Eudocimus albus* Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca* Asiatic White Ibis is an alternative name for the Black-headed Ibis, Threskiornis melanocephala...

, Black ibis

Black Ibis

The Red-naped Ibis, Pseudibis papillosa, also known as the Indian Black Ibis or just the Black Ibis, is a species of ibis found in parts of South Asia. The sexes are alike. It has a curlew-like long down-curved bill, a black head with a patch of crimson, and a white patch near the shoulder...

, Little egret

Little Egret

The Little Egret is a small white heron. It is the Old World counterpart to the very similar New World Snowy Egret.-Subspecies:Depending on authority, two or three subspecies of Little Egret are currently accepted....

, Great egret

Great Egret

The Great Egret , also known as the Great White Egret or Common Egret, White Heron, or Great White Heron, is a large, widely-distributed egret. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, in southern Europe it is rather localized...

.

Visitor Information

The sanctuary can be reached by road from Mudukulathur 8 km and Madurai

Madurai

Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...

 117 km. The Nearest Railway is Paramakudi

Paramakudi

Paramakudi is a town, a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The river Vaigai flows through Paramakudi on its way to the Bay of Bengal.-Demographics and location:...

 15 km and the nearest Airport is Madurai.

Accommodation is available at PWD Rest House at Mudukalathur 7 km, the Forest Rest House at Sayalgudi

Sayalgudi

Sayalgudi is a panchayat town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.- Demographics : India census, Sayalgudi had a population of 12,049. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Sayalgudi has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of...

 – 30 km and Paramakudi.

Contact: Wildlife Warden, Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, Mandapam

Mandapam

Mandapam is a panchayat town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Mandapam is located at . It has an average elevation of 9 metres .-Demographics:...

, Ramanathapuram Dt., Tamil Nadu. Phone:04567-230079