Kaggaladu
Encyclopedia
Kaggaladu is a small village in the historic Sira Taluk
of Tumkur district
in south-eastern part of Karnataka
state. Since 1999, the villagers have been a welcome host for Painted Stork
s and Grey Heron
s, which annually breed on the trees inside the village and raise their young ones. Kaggaladu is located about 9 km to the north-west of Sira
town on the Sira-Chengavara Main Road and the heronry
was first made known to the outside world in 1999 by members of the Tumkur
-based NGO Wildlife Aware Nature Club.
s have been nesting here on a single tamarind tree since 1993. Their numbers increased in 1996, when a lone tree in the neighbouring Muddakanahalli, on which these birds were nesting, was disturbed by poachers and some birds were killed. The villagers are so interested in conserving the birds that, they do not harvest the tamarind in the trees owned by them as well that of the Government. While many of the villagers are interested in protecting the birds just because they look beautiful, a few believe them as harbingers of prosperity, hence their protection
Kaggaladu is said to be the second largest painted storks sanctuary in South India
, after Kokkare bellur sanctuary in Mandya district, Karnataka
. It has been observed that, many birds of the foreign origin also migrate to Kaggaladu during the nestling season.
In this bird sanctuary, one can find the birds in hundreds of number, but the big gathering of birds is not of the same feather. The tamarind
trees have been maintained exclusively for birds shelter and nestling. It has been reported that, the villagers of Kaggaladu are very much attached to these migrating birds.
Nearest City: Tumkur City
Nearest Railhead: Tumkur City
Nearest Airport: Bangalore City
Nearest Highway: National Highway No: 4
Getting there: Since the Bangalore
- Pune
/Mumbai
National Highway No: 4 passes through Sira Town, the best way to get there is to drive down from Bangalore city (about 3 hrs drive). Sira is about 50 km away from Tumkur City and about 120 km from Bangalore.
Sira Taluk
Sira is a taluk of Tumkur district in the state of Karnataka, India. Its headquarters, Sira town lies on the National Highway NH-4 .-History:Sira was politically and militarily an important region of south India prior to the British Raj....
of Tumkur district
Tumkur district
Tumkur district is an administrative district in the state of Karnataka in India. The district headquarters are located at Tumkur. The district occupies an area of 10,598 km² and had a population of 2,584,711, of which 19.62% were urban as of 2001...
in south-eastern part of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
state. Since 1999, the villagers have been a welcome host for 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...
s and Grey Heron
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...
s, which annually breed on the trees inside the village and raise their young ones. Kaggaladu is located about 9 km to the north-west of Sira
Sira, India
Sira is a town and taluk headquarters of Sira Taluk of Tumkur district in the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the National Highway NH-4 and NH-234 .-Geography:...
town on the Sira-Chengavara Main Road and the heronry
Heronry
A heronry is a breeding ground for herons, sometimes called a heron rookery.- Asia :* Kaggaladu Heronry is in Karnataka state of India...
was first made known to the outside world in 1999 by members of the Tumkur
Tumkur
Tumkur is one of the busiest industrial towns located in the state of Karnataka. Since 28 August 2010, Tumkur has been accorded the status of a Corporation city. It is situated at a distance of 70 kilometers north west of the city of Bangalore along National Highway 4...
-based NGO Wildlife Aware Nature Club.
History of the Park
According to locals, the Grey heronGrey Heron
The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...
s have been nesting here on a single tamarind tree since 1993. Their numbers increased in 1996, when a lone tree in the neighbouring Muddakanahalli, on which these birds were nesting, was disturbed by poachers and some birds were killed. The villagers are so interested in conserving the birds that, they do not harvest the tamarind in the trees owned by them as well that of the Government. While many of the villagers are interested in protecting the birds just because they look beautiful, a few believe them as harbingers of prosperity, hence their protection
Flora
The dominant species of trees in the village are Tamarind Tamarindus indica and Indian Banyan Ficus benghalensisFicus benghalensis
Ficus benghalensis, the banyan, is a large and extensive growing tree of the Indian subcontinent. Ficus benghalensis produces propagating roots which grow downwards as aerial roots. Once these roots reach the ground, they grow into woody trunks that can become indistinguishable from the main...
Fauna
As the area lies in the plains of the Deccan Plateau, bordering Andhra Pradesh, the wildlife found here is related to the drier areas. WANC is compiling a detailed report of the flora and fauna found in the area. But notably a few herds of blackbuck roam around Kaggaladu and surrounding villages. Also some of the villagers claim to have sighted the Great Indian Bustard in the area, but this has not yet been confirmed.Bird Sanctuary
The birds usually stay in Kaggaladu Bird Sanctuary for about six months, starting from the month of February. The birds start arriving in groups for the nestling season. By the end of August month, the migratory birds go back.Kaggaladu is said to be the second largest painted storks sanctuary in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
, after Kokkare bellur sanctuary in Mandya district, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. It has been observed that, many birds of the foreign origin also migrate to Kaggaladu during the nestling season.
In this bird sanctuary, one can find the birds in hundreds of number, but the big gathering of birds is not of the same feather. The tamarind
Tamarind
Tamarind is a tree in the family Fabaceae. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic .-Origin:...
trees have been maintained exclusively for birds shelter and nestling. It has been reported that, the villagers of Kaggaladu are very much attached to these migrating birds.
Fact file
Nearest Town: SiraNearest City: Tumkur City
Tumkur
Tumkur is one of the busiest industrial towns located in the state of Karnataka. Since 28 August 2010, Tumkur has been accorded the status of a Corporation city. It is situated at a distance of 70 kilometers north west of the city of Bangalore along National Highway 4...
Nearest Railhead: Tumkur City
Tumkur
Tumkur is one of the busiest industrial towns located in the state of Karnataka. Since 28 August 2010, Tumkur has been accorded the status of a Corporation city. It is situated at a distance of 70 kilometers north west of the city of Bangalore along National Highway 4...
Nearest Airport: Bangalore City
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
Nearest Highway: National Highway No: 4
Getting there: Since the Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
- Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
/Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
National Highway No: 4 passes through Sira Town, the best way to get there is to drive down from Bangalore city (about 3 hrs drive). Sira is about 50 km away from Tumkur City and about 120 km from Bangalore.