Description

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Context:

Recently, the Tamil Nadu government has officially declared a Greater Flamingo sanctuary at Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram district.

About Greater Flamingo Sanctuary:

Feature	Details
Location	Dhanushkodi, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu
Biosphere Reserve	Located within the ecologically sensitive Bay of Mannar Biosphere Reserve
Ecosystems Present	Mangroves, sand dunes, mudflats, marshes
Flyway Significance	Crucial stopover along the Central Asian Flyway for migratory wetland birds
Bird Species Supported	128 bird species including both Greater and Lesser Flamingos
Flora (Mangroves)	Dominated by species such as Avicennia and Rhizophora
Ecological Functions	Mangroves stabilize the beach and support marine biodiversity
Marine Life Supported	Fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and nesting sea turtles
Scientific Name	Phoenicopterus roseus
Size & Appearance	Large wading bird with distinctive pink feathers and long legs
Feeding Habits	Filter-feeder; feeds on algae, small crustaceans, and plankton
Distribution	Africa, Western Asia, Southern Europe
Habitat	Shallow, saline, and alkaline wetlands, salt lakes, coastal lagoons, intertidal mudflats, and salt pans
Breeding Sites	Nests in large colonies on mudflats and salt pans
IUCN Status	Least Concern
Indian Wildlife Protection Act	Schedule-II

Source: The Hindu

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. With reference to the recently declared Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, consider the following statements:

The sanctuary is located within the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem and is dominated by inland grasslands and tropical deciduous forests.
It serves as a crucial stopover site along the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds, supporting both Greater and Lesser Flamingos.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: b

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The sanctuary lies within the Bay of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, not the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem, and is dominated by mangroves, sand dunes, mudflats, and marshes, not inland grasslands or tropical deciduous forests.

Statement 2 is correct: The site is a key stopover along the Central Asian Flyway, supporting 128 bird species including Greater and Lesser Flamingos.