Mangalavanam, the mangrove bird sanctuary in the heart of Kochi, is the smallest protected area under the Kerala forest department

Background

The smallest protected area under the state forest department is not in the Western Ghats but in the heart of Kochi city. Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary lies in Ernakulam district and has an area of 0.0274 sq km. It is the only bird sanctuary in Kerala which is located in Mangrove forests. The word Mangal means mangroves in Portuguese. The sanctuary was established in 2004. A survey found that there are 194 birds in 32 species, and the number of bird species recorded so far from this area is 72. There are also 17 species of butterflies and 51 different types of spiders on record here.