ମହାନଦୀର ଦକ୍ଷିଣ ମୁହାଣରେ ବଙ୍ଗୋପସାଗର ଉପକୂଳରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ଲବଣାକ୍ତ ହ୍ରଦ ଚିଲିକା ହେଉଛି ଭାରତର ସର୍ବବୃହତ୍ ଉପକୂଳବର୍ତ୍ତୀ ହ୍ରଦ | ଏହା ମଧ୍ୟ ଚିଲିକା ପକ୍ଷୀ ଅଭୟାରଣ୍ୟର ଅନ୍ତର୍ଗତ | ପୁଣି ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ସୁବୃହତ ଚିଲିକା ହ୍ରଦ, ଯେଉଁଠି ଶିତକାଳରେ ଦୂରଦେଶାଗତ ଅଗଣିତ ପକ୍ଷୀଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖି ମନ ମୋହିତ ହୋଇଯାଏ ।ଏଠାରେ ପ୍ରାୟ ୧୫୦ ପ୍ରଜାତିର ସ୍ଥାନୀୟ ଓ ପ୍ରବାସୀ ପକ୍ଷୀଙ୍କ ସମାଗମ ହୋଇଥାଏ | ଚିଲିକାରେ ଏକ ନୌ-ପ୍ରଶିକ୍ଷଣ କେନ୍ଦ୍ର ମଧ୍ୟ ରହିଛି |
Queen of natural beauty, Chilika,
the largest brackish water lake in Asia covering an area of over 1,100 sq. In winter Chilika aflutters with thousands of indigenous and migratory birds of many varieties from far and near - even from the distant Siberia. The fabulous beauty of Chilika which has inspired poets to sing its glory and which can be best enjoyed from Balugaon, Barkul, Rambha and Satpada must be seen to be believed. One can also have a glimpse of the lake from the moving trains and vehicles on the road near these places. The atmosphere is just serene and undisturbed amidst the blue expanse of water on one side and an evergreen range of hills on the other. Dotted with a host of islands with romantic names, a cruise in Chilika will be a life-long memory. Chilka Lake - Asia's largest brackish water lagoon with water spread ranging from 1165 sq km m the rainy season to 906 sq km in the dry season is nestled in the heart of the coastal Orissa. It extends from Bhusandpur in Puri district in the North to Rambha-Malud in Ganjan district in the South, separated from the Bay of Bengal by a 60 km long narrow strip of marshy islands and sand-flats. Some of the prominent islands like Nalabana, Kalijal, Somolo, Honeymoon, Break-fast, Birds and Rajahansa inhabited by small subsistence fishermen families, are popular destinations for daily boat trips. Because of its rich bio-diversity and socio-economic importance, Chilika was designated as a Ramsar site in 1981 to afford better protection. Chilika is recognized as one of the most important wetlands in the world because it is home to a phenomenal variety of birds. Chilika Lake offers visitors a spectacular display of its colorful avian charms in a thousand different hues presented by over 160 species in the peak season between November and February. The lake and its reed islands teem with nesting birds-white bellied sea eagles, ospreys, golden plovers, sand pipers, flamingos, pelicans, shovellers, gulls, include migratory ones flying great distances from Iran, Central Asia and Siberia. Chilka Lake (Chilika Lake) is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Orissa state on the east coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal. It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest lagoon in the World. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent. The lake is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals. The lake is an ecosystem with large fishery resources. It sustains more than 150,000 fisher–folk living in 132 villages on the shore and islands. The lagoon hosts over 160 species of birds in the peak migratory season. Birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Central and southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come here. These birds travel great distances, but it must be stressed, that the migratory birds probably follow much longer routes than the straight lines, possibly up to 12,000 km, to reach Chilika River. According to a survey, 45 percent of the birds are terrestrial in nature, 32 percent are waterfowl, and 23 percent are waders. The Lagoon is also home to 14 types of raptors.Around 135 rare and endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins have also been reported. Plus, the lagoon supports about 37 species of reptiles and amphibians.
