Life lessons with the pelicans of Ranganathittu

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is situated in the Mandya District of Karnataka and is the biggest bird sanctuary in the state. It consists of six islets in the Kaveri River, covering a massive area of 40 acres, due to which it is also known as the "Pakshi Kashi" of Karnataka. Salim Ali, more popularly known as the Bird Man of India, observed that the six islets served as a major nesting ground for a wide variety of birds. He persuaded the King of Mysore, Raja Kanteerava Narasimharaja Wadiyar, to declare the area as protected in 1940, thus establishing the sanctuary. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is a heavenly abode to 170 different species of birds, including both migratory and resident birds. Located 19 km from Mysore and 128 km from Bangalore, it is a paradise for bird watchers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts. The sanctuary attracts three to four lakh visitors every year, making it a tourism hotspot. The best time to visit the sanctuary is between November and June, as these are the nesting months for the birds.

Among the diverse variety of birds found in the sanctuary, the Spot-Billed Pelican, also known as the Grey Pelican, is notable. The scientific name of the bird is Pelecanus philippensis, and its conservation status is Near Threatened with a decreasing population. It is a large water bird, measuring 125 to 152 centimeters in length and weighing 4.1 to 6 kilograms. The bird is mostly white with a greyish chest and a brown tail. It has a pinkish pouch attached to its beak, which is used to catch fish.

The Spot-Billed Pelicans have an interesting way of catching their fish. They swim in shallow waters looking for fish, and once they find one, they scoop it up in the pouch attached to their bill. During this process, excess water also enters the pouch. The bird then drains the water out, leaving only the fish in its bill, which is then conveniently consumed. Observing

this behavior, one might expect to find these birds in the water, but that’s not always the case in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary.

The six islets present in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary provide a strategic location for the Spot-Billed Pelicans to nest, as the Kaveri River has ample fish for their chicks and themselves. The Spot-Billed Pelicans have been breeding here for generations. While everything seems to be going well for the birds, the abundance of fish and the nesting sites of thousands of birds have lured hungry Marsh Crocodiles. Given the conventional manner in which pelicans catch their fish, they would become easy prey for the crocodiles. In this situation, where they need food to survive but risk their lives in the process, the pelicans had to improvise and adapt.

The Spot-Billed Pelicans learned a whole new technique for catching fish. They started to fly very close to the surface of the water and scoop up the fish in the pouch attached to their beak mid-flight, reducing their chances of being hunted by the crocodiles to zero while still catching fish for their chicks and themselves.

What we can learn from the pelicans of Ranganathittu is that when we face problems or hurdles in life, we should not back off or run away from them. Instead, we need to tackle the problems or overcome the hurdles by adapting and continuing to thrive.