The tiny village of Kaggaladu is located 9 km to the north-west of Sira Town of Tumkur District, in Karnataka. This village is inhabited by about 500-600 people. Agriculture is the primary occupation of the villagers and they mainly grow ragi (finger millet), wheat and groundnuts. Another source of income is the sale of tamarind that grows on the trees in and around the village.

This village is inhabited by about 500-600 people. Agriculture is the primary occupation of the villagers and they mainly grow ragi (finger millet), wheat and groundnuts. Another source of income is the sale of tamarind that grows on the trees in and around the village.

In 1999 this village experienced a strange happening. Hundreds of painted storks descended upon this village for nesting and breeding purposes. For about 9 years before this, these bright and colorful birds had only been spotted in ones and twos in paddy fields and by the lakeside. Since 1999 (barring in 2005, which was a drought year), these migratory birds have been returning to this village for nesting every year. Enthusiastic and strict protection to these birds is voluntarily offered by the villagers. Villagers have a warm bonding with these winged beauties and some believe that they are harbingers of rain and prosperity. 

In 1999, also some members of Wildlife Aware Nature Club (WANC), a NGO based at Tumkur and working for conservation issues in Karnataka, got involved with the protection of the birds along with the villagers. These members lived in villages nearby. They submitted a request to the forest department, subsequent to which a veterinary doctor of the neighboring village Gaudgere, started paying regular visits to Kaggaladu for providing treatment to the injured birds. 

The villagers were initiated into conservation by a local farmer Shivappa, who first offered protection to the birds after learning that these avian visitors came from far off lands and were endangered species. The villagers tried to approach government officials for the protection of the birds but they did not get any positive response. They then decided to take up protection of the birds by themselves. An informal local body has been formed in the village for the protection of the birds, anyone in the village can be the member of this body and Shivappa continues to play an important role.

The villagers were initiated into conservation by a local farmer Shivappa, who first offered protection to the birds after learning that these avian visitors came from far off lands and were endangered species. The villagers tried to approach government officials for the protection of the birds but they did not get any positive response. They then decided to take up protection of the birds by themselves. An informal local body has been formed in the village for the protection of the birds, anyone in the village can be the member of this body and Shivappa continues to play an important role.

Most of the birds nest on tamarind trees, some of which are owned by the villagers while others are owned by the government. The tamarind harvest generates an annual income of Rs. 3,000 per tree. The tamarind harvest time coincides with the nesting period of the birds. The local gram panchayat has imposed a ban on the auctioning of tamarind fruits from all trees irrespective of their ownership. The implication of the rule is to create no hindrance for the birds and not to displace them from the trees. Rs. 3,000 per tree is paid by the forest department to the owners to compensate for the loss. In 1999, the state forest department sanctioned an amount of Rs. 10,000 to erect fences around the nine tamarind trees which were home to these birds. The villagers actively participate in protection including children who also protect and rear the young ones that fall from their nests accidentally either due to strong pre-monsoon winds or due to over-nesting.

Most of the birds nest on tamarind trees, some of which are owned by the villagers while others are owned by the government. The tamarind harvest generates an annual income of Rs. 3,000 per tree. The tamarind harvest time coincides with the nesting period of the birds. The local gram panchayat has imposed a ban on the auctioning of tamarind fruits from all trees irrespective of their ownership. The implication of the rule is to create no hindrance for the birds and not to displace them from the trees. Rs. 3,000 per tree is paid by the forest department to the owners to compensate for the loss. In 1999, the state forest department sanctioned an amount of Rs. 10,000 to erect fences around the nine tamarind trees which were home to these birds. The villagers actively participate in protection including children who also protect and rear the young ones that fall from their nests accidentally either due to strong pre-monsoon winds or due to over-nesting.

Since protection is afforded by the villagers, there is little threat to the birds in the village. One of the major reasons that the birds roost in the village is the presence of a number of traditional irrigation tanks/wetlands within 20 km radius of the village. These include Kallambella tank, Handenahalli/ Lakshmisagar tank, Kaggaladu big tank and Hosur tank. These tanks provide easy availability of food for the birds.  

The real threat to these birds comes when the birds are feeding at these tanks. In 1999, when the birds made news in the local papers, there was a rise in the number of poaching incidents at these tanks. Based on the information from WANC and the highlighting of this issue in the local news papers by WANC, action was initiated by the late M.N.Narayanaswamy, local deputy conservator of forests (DCF) and Suresh K Mohammad, Superintendent of Police to prevent such acts. A number of unlicensed guns were seized from the area. Meanwhile, a group of 30 village youths came together to form the Bannada Kokkre Rakshana Samithi (a committee to save the painted storks) for action against poachers. Since then, there have been some new incidents of poaching in 2007 at Lakshmisagara wetland and action needs to be taken again. 

When the place made headlines in 1999, there was a big influx of tourists to see the birds. These urban tourists would bring polluting vehicles and plastics, which disturbed the environment of the village. Tourist activities have been controlled to a certain extent by display boards describing a set of ‘dos and donts’. These boards have been put up by the local forest department. The village youth ensure that the rules related to bird protection are enforced and birds are not disturbed.

This initiative is an example of how local villagers conserve birds with the district level NGO (WANC) using its resources to highlight threats to these birds and the territorial wing of the state forest department using its resources to conserve wildlife under its jurisdiction. The forest department now compensates the villagers for the economic losses suffered by them. The villagers consider these birds as a part of their village and do not feel that their resources are being exploited by making provisions for these birds. The villagers innately understand that the birds have to be protected, as they are indicators of sound environment conditions. There is a need to build on this understanding and extend all possible help and support as and when they require, rather than co- opting their initiative.