Most of the forests are widely scattered and a majority of them are dry deciduous or open scrub.

The dominant

community residing here is the Kapu (Reddy) community, whose main occupation is agriculture and

sericulture.

The common crops grown are paddy, bajra and groundnut. Borewells and traditional

irrigation tanks are used as the major sources of irrigation in the village.

There are dozens of small and medium tanks within a 5-km radius of the village, of which

Veerapuram tank is one. This tank has a water-spread area of about 30 acres, with agricultural

dry lands on one side and a couple of hillocks on the other, which form the catchment of this tank.

These tanks are a major source of food for many resident and migratory birds in this area.

In 2002, the highest number of painted storks (about 5000) came for breeding purposes to

the lake. Two pelicans had also arrived then but they did not nest in the village. According to the

villagers, during the last 10 years pelicans have stopped nesting in the village: they arrive at the

beginning of the season (December-January), survey the place but do not breed. White ibises

roost on the same trees during the night but they are not seen breeding in the vicinity.

Although the birds do not face any kind of threats from the host village, there are other threats

faced by them:

• Due to heavy rains in the monsoons some of the chicks fall out of their nests.

• Indiscriminate hunting near Karnataka border, which is only 2 km away from the village, is a

major cause for concern. In 2001-2, about 100 chicks starved to death as their parent birds did

not return to the nests, probably killed by the poachers.

• There is a lack of nesting space as the old trees are dying.

• Large-scale fishing in the tanks in the vicinity is depriving the birds of stable feeding grounds.

• The tamarind trees in the village where the storks build their nests are being auctioned by the panchayat for fruit, and while harvesting the bidders cause disturbance to the birds.

• Heavy silting of the feeding tanks has resulted in less water storage, and the tank dries up before

the breeding season ends.

• Some of the trees on which the birds build their nests are in private lands. The villagers have so

far been able to convince the owners not to cut the trees despite their need; however, they feel

that this is only a short-term solution

An NGO called PFA (People for Animals) from

Bangalore is involved in nurturing the injured or orphaned chicks in a small temporary enclosure.

An individual based in Puttaparthi in Anantapur district is also extending support to the young

ones for their rehabilitation. Another NGO called Chaitanya, based in Lepakshi, offered a few

thousand seedlings of tilapia fish to be released in Veerapuram tank during the last season as

part of improving their feeding grounds. The Institute of Bird Studies and Natural History of Rishi

Valley in Andhra Pradesh along with their staff and Mr. Ashish Pittie from Birdwatchers’ Society of

Andhra Pradesh planted five saplings in the village. They also facilitated villagers coming together

and taking an oath for the conservation of the birds.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has initiated work for eco-tourism. The villagers, especially the

youth, are enthusiastic and committed to conserving the birds.

Short Term Activities:

• Supply of fast-growing saplings for plantation within the village. Locals preferred banyan and

pipal trees.

• Incentives/rewards for encouraging the efforts of the villagers in conservation.

• Education to the villagers on rehabilitation of injured chicks that fall out of their nests.

• Audio-visual education on conservation for the children of the village.

• Supply of fish seedlings for release in tanks around the village.

Long Term Activities:

• Take effective measures for desilting the tanks for increased storage of water.

• Improve the feeding grounds by releasing seedlings of tilapia fish.

• Work with the forest department of Gudibanda Division of Karnataka to take effective steps to

check hunting of storks and other birds in the tanks around Veerapuram on their side.

• Closely monitor the impacts of the proposed eco-tourism on the health of the heronry.

• Conduct exposure visits to other community-conserved heronries like Kokkrebelur in Karnataka

and Pedullapalle in AP.

• Organise the villagers into a group and get it registered.

• Promote income generation through eco-tourism in order to raise funds for basic maintenance of

the rehabilitation center.

• Explore the possibility of forming a Tree Growers’ Co-operative Society of Veerapuram for

regeneration of the hillock that forms the catchment of the Veerapuram tank, in order to reduce

the siltation (soil run-off) into the tank.