Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of the Godavari mangroves was declared as a sanctuary in July 1978 to conserve the mangrove vegetation of the estuary, extending in an area of about 235 Sq.Kms. It is located between 16-301 to 17-001 N latitudes and 82-141 to 82-231 E longitudes in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Mangroves are a group of salt tolerant plant species which occur in the tropieal and subtropical interidal estuaring regions. Mangroves constitute a dynamic ecosystem with a complex association of species both of flora and fauna of terrestrial and acuatic system and the vegetation in this forest is of evergreen type.
A part from these animals, mangroves invariably attract large populations of birds which feed on various organisms occuring in the mangrove forest and in the back waters. During the low tide some of the areas are exposed (elevated mud flats having small fishes, shrimps, molluscs) attracting avafauna for its feed.
Over 120 species of birds are reported and among them the following are the common birds found in the Sanctuary.
1)Little egret, 2)Cattle egret, 3)Pied kingfisher, 4)Small Blue king-fisher, 5)Black capped kingfisher, 6)Pond heron, 7)Reefheron, 8)Grey heron, 9)Night heron, 10)Little stint, 11)Sand piper, 12)Red shrank, 13)Red wattle-lap-wing, 14)Crow pheasant, 15)Flamingos, 16)Sea gulls, 17)Purple heron, 18)Brahmini kite, 19)Open Bill stork, 20)Little cormorant
For the purpose of conserving the existing mangroves the follwing conservation Demarcation strategies are adopted. of Mangroves and Mangrove sanctuaries including the core areas to avoid encroachments.
Taking up of large scale afforestation of blanks by digging channels at 12.5 mts. apart. The seedings of 60 cms height. The seedlings grown in the nursery are planted on sloped edges of the channels at 2.00 mts apart staggered through the funds from the World Bank Assistance and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
Setting up of Nature Study Centre to educate the local people regarding the importance of fragile ecosystem and the necessity for it's protection and it's role in the environment.
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