Into the wild unknown: A visit to three nature reserves near Chennai

For the very first time I see just how green Chennai and its surrounding areas can be Then I watch a bluegreen algae pond teeming with crocodiles And later I see a blue placid lake with green reeds popping out of them like periscopes Three shades of green with a hundred hues in between All in a space of two daysTherersquos no better way to experience the versatality of the ecosystem in these areas than taking a trip which covers Guindy National Park Madras Croc Bank and Pulicat Lake Bird SanctuaryFeathered friendsPulicat Lake Bird SanctuaryPulicat is the second largest brackish lagoon in India after Chilika in Odisha It has four islands that separate it from the Bay of Bengal The biggest among them is Sriharikota the island from which Indiarsquos first lunar mission Chandrayaan was launchedA painted stork wades through Pulicat Lake Bird SanctuaryThis lake interestingly has three rivers feeding it sweet water from one side and the sea feeding it salt water from the other during high tide This dynamic and perennial exchange breeds many species of vegetation fish waterbird and reptiles that are unique to this ecosystem During the migratory season you see thousands of birds landing in the lake as if itrsquos raining feathers mdash flamingos from Kachchh painted storks from Siberia and spoonbills from Eurasia Many of them fall in love with this landscape so deeply that they keep extending their visas and eventually never go back to their homeland Therersquos a beautiful road ringing this lake and sometimes even bisects it This road along with the wellappointed benches and watchtowers that are strategically placed at regular intervals gives you a 18odegree ringside view of all avian actionNothing colours the skies at Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary like a large group of flamingoes in flightPulicatrsquos vast landscape reminds you of Kachchh with its endless stretches of land laden with salt and seashells Interestingly Pulicat is the only bird sanctuary in India that straddles two states Tamil Nadu and Andhra PradeshThis has created boundary issues among fishermen who frequently fish in troubled waters Apart from these local issues a new ecological storm is brewing in the Bay of Bengal Taking a cue from the historical fact this was a busy port in the first century the powersthatbe in the 21st century are nurturing grandiose plans of converting this pristine sanctuary into a socalled lsquoworldclassrsquo port and shipbuilding centre inconsiderate to environmental lawsThe ecosensitive zone has been heartlessly reduced from 10 km to a mere two kmPulicat Lake breeds species of vegetation fish waterbird and reptiles that are unique to this ecosystemSitting alone on a green bench I glance at the horizon to see the sun calling it a day And soon the colours of the sky begin to mix magically with the waterrsquos colours creating an enchanting landscape And here I wonder if the greed of man will make the sun set forever on Pulicat Lake In any case see it while itrsquos still there Offer open only till good sense lastsMarooned forestGuindy National ParkThis national park is situated bang in the middle of the bustling city of Chennai mdash a pair of green lungs surrounded by clogged arteries all around The only other national park in India thatrsquos located within city limits is Sanjay Gandhi National Park SGNP in Mumbai but therersquos a vital difference between the two parksA shy spotted deer walks quietly around Guindy National ParkSGNP is a large tract of forest thatrsquos contiguous with a vast stretch that also lies outside the park mdash the Tungareshwar Sanctuary and the forests of Thane district This facilitates easy migration of wild animals which is crucial to the health of their speciesBut here in Guindy the smallest national park in India spanning over just 270 hectares wild animals are cut off from the rest of their fraternity So much so that the closest herd to the herd of blackbucks found here is 600 km away in Point Calimere Even spotted deer jackals pangolins and reptiles here live in a marooned forest that floats in a concrete jungle This leads to inbreeding among animals which is unhealthyA sighting of the Night Heron at the park heartens travellers on safarisHowever in spite of these alarming facts the sixkm walk along the periphery of the park is a delectable experience On this very path I come across the smell of rotten palm fruit that smells exactly like toddy The smell is so inviting that toddy cats would find it hard to resist it under the anonymous cover of nightI am treated to stunning sights which will forever be recorded in my hard disk if not my mind mdash Rhesus monkeys rappelling down an ancient rope into a deserted well and coming up as drenched beauties a bouquet of butterflies sprouting on a wild plant a stag that has crashed through a wall of creepers and as a result has loose creepers dangling from its antlers making it look like a real greenhornMission conservationMadras Croc BankIn this park apart from spotting the three species of crocodiles that are indigenous to India I am keen to spot a member of another endangered species a committed conservationist named Romulus Whitaker the man who established this park But I narrowly miss spotting him as he sets off on a field visit to the Nicobar Islands that very morning However an affable and knowledgeable guide Geetha makes up for Romrsquos absence She first introduces me to a crocodile that is the alpha male of the park and nicknamed Jaws He was rescued as a baby and today is the largest marsh crocodile to have ever been found in India His feeding reminds me of the opening scene of Jurassic ParkCrocodiles bask in the sun at the Madras Croc BankHuge crocs in a nearby pond look like lizards in comparisonPointing to a raised mound in the distance where the crocs lay their eggs Geetha tells me that their sex is not decided at the time of fertilisation but during the eggrsquos hatching If the egg is hatched when the surrounding temperature is below 31 degC a female is born and if the temperature is 31 degC or above it will be a maleGeetha then takes me to the stall of the Irula tribe Here we meet Maniyakaran a tribal leader He tells me of the special relationship Rom shares with the Irulas On all his snakewatching expeditions it is this snakecatching tribe that accompanies him and shares their deep knowledge of snake behaviour passed down from preDravidian timesThese huntergatherers have never taken up farming but have perfected the art of finding grain to subsist Rats steal grains from farms and hoard them in their holes Snakes kill rats and stay on Once the snakes vacate these places the Irulas come in and raid the deserted pits and easily pick up eight to 10 kg grain from a single ratholeWho says you have to cultivate grains yourself