Muthupet Mangroves and Lagoon

Muthupet Mangroves and Lagoon

Muthupet a town in Tiruvarur District, located between Thiruthuraipoondi and Pattukkottai, is nearly around 360km away. The town lies adjacent to the Bay of Bengal and is in the southernmost part of the Cauvery delta. This town is bounded by two rivers: Korayar and Pamaniyar, to the east and the west respectively. The rivers Koriayar and Pamaniyar join near Muthupet, and there is this lagoon.

This lagoon covers an area of approximately 6,803.01 ha of which only 4% is occupied by well-grown mangroves. The rivers Paminiyar, Koraiyar, Kilaithankiyar Marakkakoraiyar and other tributaries of the river Cauvery flow through Muthupet and adjacent villages. At the tail end, they form a lagoon before meeting the sea.

The lagoon is rich in Fish and is an ideal place for fishing, pearl hunting and bird hunting. It is well known for its fishing industries such as finfish (koduva), shrimp and crab.

The great Vedaranyam swamp is one of the largest coastal wetlands found in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is located in the southernmost end of the Cauvery delta, extending from Adirampattinam in the west (Thanjavur District) to Point Calimere in the east (Nagapattinam District). The Muthupet mangrove wetland is a part of the Great Vedaranyam swamp.

The marshy land in Muthupettai is the main tourist attraction in this area. This scenic spot is always evergreen with mangrove forest trees, in a sprawling area of 120 square kms. It is a wonderful sight for the tourists to see the wide expanse of backwater and the mangrove forests dotting over the entire area.

Along with the deep-rooted mangrove trees the other kinds of trees like Thandal, Thillai, Narikanthal and Neermulli also grow and add to the beauty of the lagoon. This lagoon has seventy-three colourful varieties of fish. Tourists can reach the Thalaimunai Mangrove Forest in a motorboat. It is an hour’s from the Jambavanodai point near Muthupettai.

A wooden pathway 162 metres long has been built for the benefit of the tourists to enjoying the mangrove forest. During the monsoon season November-January, a large number of birds migrate here from all over the World. Eighty different species of migratory birds congregate here having travelled a long distances.

The birds come from Siberia, Russia, Iran, and Europe. Among them the notable species of birds are the heron, egret, flamingo, the painted stork, pelican, teal and tern. The migration of these birds is an extraordinary sight that adds to the beauty of this district. One can visit the mangroves from Thanjavur (65 kms), Thiruvarur (60 kms), and Nagapattinam (70 kms). The best time to visit Muthupettai is from November to February.

Muthupet (mullipallam) Lagoon is a spectacular natural creation, which is 8 km from Muthupet town and can be reachable only by boat. The lagoon is shallow with the average of 1m depth. The bottom of the lagoon is formed of silt clay substratum. The tidal fluctuations can be observed well with the exposure of oyster beds and roots during low tide. This fluctuations play major role in dispersing the mangrove seeds and forming dense forests. The islets are found on western sides which are submerged during high tide.

The mangroves have grown close to water level in lagoon side but not in seashore. The reason may be the difference in the nature of fine clayey silt deposition that carried by the rivers. The Salt Marshes are found as under herb as well as lining the inner side of the forest. In the degraded central part of the mudflat, the soft fine silt is found only around the salt marshes. But, the remaining barren ground is hard (clay) which may due to the erosion of surface silt by wind or floodwater.

Thousands of partially decomposed rooted trunks that found on the southeastern side of Muthupet lagoon are indicating the past, indiscriminate exploitation. The density of mangroves in eastern side of Muthupet lagoon is comparatively lower than other areas. Tamil Nadu forest department has excavated several canals across the mudflat.

Each main canal which enhances the water movement between sea and lagoon has several sub canals on either side with a substantial number of mangrove seedlings. The western side is not straight. A protruding land pocket has formed an islet like structure. This part of the lagoon lies near to Koraiyar river mouth with small mangrove patches.

Flora and Fauna

The Muthupet mangrove ecosystem embraces a heterogeneous mixture of mangrove elements of plants and animals. Among the six principal mangrove species, Avicennia marina is most common and abundant, followed by Exoecaria agallocha, Aegiceros corniculatum, Acanthus ilicifolius, Suaeda maritima and S monoica in that order. Five species of seaweeds viz. Chaetomorpha sp., Enteromorpha sp., Gracilaria sp., Hypnea sp., Ulva sp., and two species of sea grasses namely Halodule sp. and Halophila sp. are found in the mangrove water channels.

The Current study has recorded 201 faunal species, including 31 species of Zooplankton, 7 species of amphipods, 10 species of polychaetes, 15 species of crustaceans, 19 species of molluscs, 57 species of fishes, 7 species of reptiles, 49 species of birds and 6 species of mammals. In crustaceans, 4 species of shrimps 2 species of prawns, 5 species of brachyuran crabs, 2 species of hermit crabs and 2 species of cirripede were identified.

Another recent study recorded 57 species of fishes. Fish distributions and abundances may also change on dial and seasonal cycles. Fishes in mangroves are important predators on amphipods, isopods, shrimps, nematodes, insects, gastropods, other fishes and algae.

In Muthupet mangroves, fishes like Mugil cephalus, Liza parsia, Terapon jarbua, Oreochrombis mossambica, Chanos chanos were abundant. Terapon puta, Eteroplus suratensis, Leiognathus brevirostris, Platycephalus indicus, Plectorhinchus gibbosus were commonly collected fishes from Muthupet lagoon.

For administration and Management purposes the forest department divided the Muthupet mangrove wetlands into six reserve forests. Each reserve forests (RF) embodies different categories of wetland such as healthy mangroves, degraded mangroves, Lagoon, tidal creeks and Creeks. The total area of the Muthupet Mangrove is about 12020ha. Out of 12020ha, healthy mangrove forest found only 1855 ha (15%). Whereas, degraded mangroves cover an area of about 7180.62 ha (60%). The area occupied by Lagoon and other water bodies is about 1700 ha.

The northern and western borders of the lagoon are occupied by muddy silt ground which is devoid of mangroves. During monsoon season these mudflats are prone to floods. Many of the Drainage Arteries of the Cauvery delta namely, Nasuviniyar, Pattuvanachiyar, Paminiyar, Korayar, Kilathangiyar and Marakakoraiyar empty their water into Muthupet mangrove wetlands. And in the south it is bordered by Palk Strait. The mangroves beyond Muthupet lagoon are discontinuously found along the shore and extended is up to Point Calimere.

This lagoon is a shallow brackish water body, with an average depth of about 1 to 2 feet during the low tide and 3 to 4 feet during the spring high tide. The lagoon connected to the Palk Strait by a wide mouth of about 1.5 km. Number of tidal creeks, channels and small Bays, bordered by thick mangroves are also found within the wetland.

The average salinity of the water, particularly in the lagoon shows wide variation. During monsoon the salinity varies from 5 to 15 ppt and in summer it reaches as high as 45 ppt, which is mainly due to the shallowness of the lagoon. The salinity is the major environmental factor, controlling zonation of Muthupet mangrove forest.

Southern side (mud flat) separates the lagoon from adjacent sea that also leaves a permanent mouth of lagoon with seasonally opened shallow waterways. The width of mudflat is increased from lagoon mouth to the eastern direction.

The mudflat looks like a desert in summer, but the presence of dead gastropods under the surface soil layer and the erosion of soil at the centre of mudflat reveal the submergence of mudflat during flood. There is a difference between the lagoon shore and seashore of the same mudflat, in the aspect of distance of mangroves from fluctuating water level.

Concerns of the Mangrove

Institute for Ocean Management, Anna University had observed that there is a marked degradation in mangrove forests comparing wetland maps of 1989 and 1996. Mangroves have degraded in density at some of the places and have disappeared in several other places. The degradation has occurred mostly in sparse mangrove forests due to the expansion of saltpan and human activities.

·        Decline in the fish catch in the last 15- 20 years

·        Silt deposition in the mouth region of the Lagoon 

·        Pollution by shrimp farms

Saltpans

About 14 saltpans, occupying area of about 4082 acre are present around the Muthupet mangrove wetland. Most of the saltpans are located very close to the Palanjur Reserve land, Tamaram kottai, Maravakkadu.

Shrimp Farms

Apart from the saltpan, a total number of 27 prawn farms are also located close to mangrove forest. The total area of these farms is about 580 acre. Out of this, 376 acre is located on the Eastern side.

Industry

Muthupet is famous for its coconut and fishing as well as Aqua Farms. The ancient occupation of the people is fishing.

Best time to Visit

During the Monsoon Season – November to January is the best time to visit this place. Early morning is the preferred time to enter in to Muthupet Forest, when the birds and fishers are busy in the canals. An umbrella is essential, even if you have a hat. This will prevent the UV in mid-day in the hot creeks while returning.

Bring a plenty of water (don't throw any bottles!!!), fruits and biscuits as you will be hungry. You can eat the food anyone of resting huts, constructed by Tamil Nadu Forest Department.

Connectivity

Frequent bus services are available to the nearby town, Pattukkottai. There are 11 Private Omni buses runs daily night services, from Chennai. In addition, the state owned TNSTC regular passenger services are also available. The route is Chennai - Pondicherry - Chidambaram- Thiruvarur - Muthupet.

Muthupet Railway Station is on the Karaikkudi-Thiruthuraipoondi line. There is no direct train from Chennai as the gauge conversion work is still carried out on this rail route. Tiruchirapalli is the nearest international airport and is located around 112 km from Muthupet.

It is better to stay in Pattukkottai (25km), if you prefer lodging. From Muthupet town, take an auto to Pettai village. Get the written permission from the forest department office and boats are available (Rs. 700/day).

Distance from Major Cities / Towns via Rail

City	Distance (in km)
Chennai	371
Mumbai	1655
Bangalore	444
New Delhi	2561
Karaikudi	90
Mayiladuthurai	90
Thiruvarur	50

Distance via Road

City	Distance (In Kms)
Thanjavur	65
Tiruchirappalli	112
Chennai	348
Kumbakonam	70
Mannargudi	34
Madurai	165
Kilakarai	160
Kayalpattinam	302

Daily Bus Trips from Muthupet to Chennai

      ·        MJT Semi Sleeper (via Pattukkottai)

·        MJT (via ECR Road)

·        SVT Semi Sleeper

·        Rathi Meena (Semi Sleeper)

·        SRM (A/C coach)

·        Universal (multi Volvo A/C Coach) (via ECR)

·        Universal (Berth Sleeper) (via ECR)

·        Raahath Semi Sleeper(via ECR)

·        Rahmath Semi Sleeper (Via ECR)

·        TNSTC (Super Deluxe)(via Mannargudi, Kumbakonam)

References

      ·        Deiva Oswin Stanley, 1998. Survey, Utilization and Conservation of the Natural Resources of Muthupet mangroves, east coast of India, Ph.D. Thesis, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchy, India.

·        Oswin, S.D., 1998. Biodiversity of the Muthupet mangroves, South east coast of India, Seshaiyana, 6:9-11.

·        Oswin, D.S. 1999. Avifaunal diversity in Muthupet mangrove forest, Zoos’ Print Journal., 14(6): 47–53.

·        Oswin SD, Kannadasan P (1998) Mangrove insects and spiders of Muthupet, Tamilnadu. Environ Ecol 16: 932-936

·        Deiva Oswin Stanley, 2006. Reproductive phenology of Avicennia marina at Muthupet mangroves Panda Bullettin Vol 11(1) 2006

PICHAVARAM

PICHAVARAM

Introduction

Pichavaram the second largest Mangrove forest in the world, near the temple town of Chidambaram, is one of the unique Eco-tourism spots in South India. The backwaters, inter connected by the Vellar and Coleroon river systems, offer abundant scope for water sports, rowing, Kayak and canoeing.

The Pichavaram forest not only offers waterscape and back water cruises, but combines another very rare occurrence - the mangrove forest trees permanently rooted in a few feet of water. The Pichavaram mangroves are considered among the healthiest mangrove occurrence in the world.

Pichavaram consists of a number of islands interspersing a vast expanse of water covered with green trees. The area is about 2800 acres and is separated from the sea by a sand bar which is a patch of extraordinary loveliness. The Pichavaram mangrove biotope, with its peculiar topography and environmental condition, supports the existence of many rare varieties of economically important shell and fin fishes.

The Pichavaram mangroves attract an appreciable bird population of residents, local migrants and true migrants. At the mangroves, so far, 177 species of birds belonging to 15 orders and 41 families have been recorded.

The season for birds is from September to April every year. Peak population of birds could be seen from November to January. This is due to high productive nature (in terms of prey organisms) of the ecosystem and coincidence of the time of arrival of true migrants from foreign countries and local migrants from their breeding grounds across India.

The availability of different habitat types such as channels, creeks, gullies, mud flats and sand flats and adjacent sea shore offers ideal habitat for difference species of birds.

In the above background, the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation and the District Administration of Cuddalore District have proposed to conduct an Eco Tourism festival namely " DAWN FEST " (Vidiyal Vizha) at Pichavaram.

Highlights of Dawn festival

Ø  Boat ride witnessing the Irula Tribes catching prawns and Crabs.

Ø  Enjoying Folk and traditional instrumental music performances on a "Floating stage "from boats.

Ø  Night dinner (Sea food festival).

Ø  Viewing 'sun rise' in the back ground of South Indian instrumental music and yoga demonstration.

Ø  Early morning Bird watch and Boating through the mangroves

Dawn fest offers a unique experience to international and domestic tourists at very nominal. This rare Eco-Tourism event also offers an opportunity to written the devastation of Tsunami and the spectacular recovery. We look forward to receiving the international and domestic guests for this greatest Eco-Tourism-Cum Ethnic event in South India. This information may kindly be paned on to the international and domestic tourists so that they have a chance to enjoy “Dawn Fest" which is nothing but a real feast to their eyes and ears.

Activities to Do

There are just two things to do in Pichavaram — drift along the waterways in a boat and take photographs. The forest officer on duty will say that you can't take pictures, but no one really seems to pay attention to him.

Pichavaram is known for its unique mangrove ecosystem, found in areas such as the Sunder bans in West Bengal and in Australia. The mangroves are trees rooted in a few feet of water and the whole area stretches to over 3,000 acres comprising more than 1,700 islets. A two-hour boat ride (Rs.125 per hour) through the forest is both soothing and exciting.

The boat meanders through overhanging branches and dark channels. The waterways are fascinating — one can see egrets, spiders, terns and other creatures that would require a pocket encyclopedia for identification. The boatman assures you that the mangroves are home to water snakes, water dogs, foxes, turtles, crustaceans, waterfowl and more — a naturalist's dream come true.

Amateur photographers would also freak out on the overhanging trees, the birds and creatures and scenic beauty of the place. For the ordinary mortal though, after a couple of hours of floating along tranquilly, there is nothing much to do after finishing one roll of film, peering into all the channels at the delicately large spider webs, identifying the few birds you know and marveling at the rest and looking around hopefully for snakes.

The boatman also tells stories of fascinating boat chases and "cinema scenes" that have been shot along the waterways — the place shot to fame with MGR's "Idayakanni". Since then, Sharath Kumar has shot there for "Sooryan", Prabhu has been there and miscellaneous governors, bureaucrats and politicians.

Pichavaram consists of a number of islands interspersing a vast expanse of water and covered with green trees. The area is about 2800 acres and is separated from the sea by a sand bar, which is a patch of extraordinary loveliness. To a botanist, rare species like Avicennia and Rhizophora will present a special attraction; to a zoologist, no doubt, the sight of numerous birds like Water snipes, Cormorants, Egrets, Storks, Herons, Spoonbills and Pelicans holds great interest.

TTDC offers boating facilities to the visiting tourists. Pichavaram can be visited at any time of the year.

It is better to avoid this place during summer. Best time to visit is after Monsoon.

Location: 16-km from Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu

Water Sports: Boating, Rowing, Kayak & Canoeing

My Experience

My experience about this spot, I heard about this spot from my friends and I went there on a Saturday. From Pondicherry some 7 of our friends went to pichavaram in bikes. Reached Chidambaram at 7 am and reached pichavaram by 8 am this one hr we spent in photo sessions on the way to pichavaram.

  

About a stone’s throw away are the mangrove swamps of Pichavaram, great for boating, mangrove watching, bird watching, with a picturesque island thrown in. Another world Pichavaram is all green and blue and white as we set off in the boat.

Ahead are the mangroves in shades of emerald, reflected in blue water against an even blue sky. On the sand bar, thousands of gulls in a long stretch of white glint silver against the sun as they take off en masse.

We slow down as we enter a narrow creek, with aerial roots brushing us lightly as we drift by. A lone egret feeds in the shallows. It’s another world out here, where the tidal backwaters mix with fresh river water from the Velar and the Coleroon to create a unique estuarine ecosystem and some of the most amazing and adaptable life forms.

Most amazing is the mangrove plant itself, growing in a few feet of shallow water, yet able to withstand the constant ebb and flow of tidal water with the aid of its aerial roots that also enable it to absorb oxygen from the air. One of the earliest eco-systems of the world, mangroves fascinate wherever they occur.

Of around eighty species worldwide, Pichavaram is home to 14 species, chief among them being Avicennia and Rhizophoro. The Pichavaram swamps are one of the healthiest occurrences in the world, and act as a nursery for a variety of finfish and shell fish. They also effectively demonstrated their role as a bio-shield in the recent Indian Ocean Tsunami; there was no loss of life in communities living next to the mangroves.

As the sun climbs higher, it’s time to get back to terra firma. The Chinnavaikal island has shady coconut groves where you can relax, eat a picnic lunch (no foil or plastic, please), and watch the gulls squabble as they roost on the mangroves in the evening. Or spend the day with the enthusiastic people of Killai town panchayat, who are proud to show the world the stuff they are made of, as resilient as the mangrove that is so much part of their lives.

If you're looking for a semi-Amazonian experience to liven up a weekend on a budget of Rs. 3,000, try Pichavaram. The road from Chennai to Chidambaram is fairly smooth and the driving is easy except for the out of control buses and pedestrians that treat the road as an extension of their backyard. It takes about four-and-a-half hours to reach the outskirts of Chidambaram. A turn-off to the left leads to the 16-km. stretch that takes you to Pichavaram. At this point, the State Government decides to take revenge for the 240-odd km of smooth road — the track to Pichavaram is a lot of stones and potholes held together with bits of tar. If you love your little car very much, park it safely at the hotel in Chidambaram and take the bus, which runs every hour.

There's no place to stay at present, but there would hardly be reason to stay overnight at Pichavaram unless one wants to study the mangroves extensively or try to commune with nature. The TTDC guesthouse on one of the many islands is closed for renovation, when open rooms are available for Rs. 200 a night.

At present one has to stay at Chidambaram and take the well-beaten road to Pichavaram — which actually has a rope strung across it for a toll-gate, with a boy collecting Rs. 15 for "road upkeep." The road by itself is interesting — the water laps against the road in places, boys dive off an ancient barrage, actor Senthil endorses fertilizer from the walls of a ramshackle post office and statues of politicians painted gold stand at every other corner.

Connectivity

Pichavaram is located at a distance of 16-km from Chidambaram and 75-km to the south from Pondicherry. It ranks among the most exquisite scenic spot with abundant and varied tourism resources. The backwaters, which are interconnected by the Vallar and Coleroon system, offer abundant scope for water sports - rowing, kayaking and canoeing.

Frequent Buses are plying from Chidambaram & Chidambaram is well connected to rest of the state by bus.

Air: The nearest airport is at Trichy (168-km)

Rail: The nearest railway station is at Chidambaram, which is on the Chennai Thiruchirappalli main line, between Villuppuram and Thanjavur and is well connected by rail with Trichy, Madurai, Chennai, etc.

Road: Bus routes connect Chidambaram to various places in Tamil Nadu like Thanjavur, Madurai, Chennai, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam, etc & Pondicherry also. From Chidambaram there are regular buses to Pichavaram.

General Information:

• Getting there: Pichavaram is 16km from Chidambaram and best accessed by road.
• Accommodation: Arignar Anna Tourism Complex, Pichavaram, Rs.250 per room. Ph: 04144-249536/249232. Or hotels in Chidambaram with rooms at Rs.390 upwards.
• Contact: Tourism office Chidambaram: 04144-238739. Row boats are available at Rs.30 per head per hour, and can take up to five per boat.
• Don’t miss: The Nataraja temple at Chidambaram. Also interesting is the historical Porto Nova at Devapattinam, three km from Cuddalore.

·   TTDC’s Arignar Anna Tourist Complexes houses, cottages and a restaurant catering to the needs of tourists. Bus, Auto-rickshaw, taxi, available Ph: 89232 (Killai Exchange)

Hotel List:

No Good Hotels are available in Pichavaram.  At present, people have to stay in Chidambaram or Cuddalore and take the well-beaten road to Pichavaram. Here I have listed out the List of Hotels in Chidambaram & Cuddalore along with its contact details for your easy reference.

Chidambaram Hotels:

http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2015/09/chidambaram-hotels-list.html

Cuddalore Hotels:

http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2015/09/cuddalore-hotels-list.html

Boating Charges:

ROW BOAT
NO. OF PERSONS	DISTANCE (KMS)		BOAT HIRING CHARGES (RS)			DURATION (HR)
2	1		160			1 HR
4	1		240			1 HR
5	1		275			1 HR
2	2		320			2 HR
4	2		480			2 HR
5	2		650			2 HR
MOTOR BOAT
8		2		1100	40 MIN
8		3		1500	1 HR
FOREST AREA & BEACH
5		6		1100	4 HR
Inclusive of Rest at Beach for 1 Hr
8		6		2300	2 HR
Inclusive of Rest at Beach for 30 Min
*Forest Entry Fees & Camera Fee Extra
Working Hours: 8 AM to 5.00 PM