Location
Kokkarebellur is located 77°5’ 25’’ East and 12° 30’ 31’’ North, in Maddur taluk of Mandya district, Karnataka. The Shimsha river flows southwards hardly 800 m east of Kokkarebellur. Apart from the river nearby, the presence of large tanks in the surrounding such as, Tailur Kere, Maddur Kere, Sole Kere, etc. has enabled these winter visitors for finding sufficient food (fishes) in these water bodies. The landscape at Kokkarebellur that includes Ficus (F religiosa, F bengalensis) and Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) trees has provided the only nesting places for these birds. All these are being supported in this unique set up by Kokkarebellur and its surroundings at least from the last five hundred years. Such a unique set up offers valuable avenues for scientific investigations, opportunities for tourism development and educational purposes. But then all these have to be in harmony with a fragile ecosystem prevailing in Kokkarebellur.
Last Updated 31st July 2004 - Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560 012, India