Sight Seeing in Various South Indian Cities - Chennai

PULICAT LAKE: Pulicat Lake, an ecologically fragile salt-water lagoon, about 60 kms north of Chennai, is the second largest lagoon in India. It is situated on the route taken by migrating birds, tempting them to stop for a break. The lake is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a strip of land, in which the town of Pulicat is located. The lagoon is protected as a Wildlife Sanctuary because of its rich biodiversity. It boasts 65 different species of fish, 30 varieties of terrestrial and aquatic birds and a host of small mammals and reptiles. Flamingos are the most frequent visitors to the lake, about 15,000 of them visit every year. Pelicans, Kingfishers, Herons, Painted Storks, Spoonbills and Ducks are some of the other birds that show up at Pulicat Lake every year. The town of Pulicat is also an interesting spot, with its Dutch cemetery dating back to the 17th century. A few centuries ago the town was an important centre for woven and colorfully printed cotton fabric. An old Danish fort built in 1609, now reduced to shambles, can be seen here. Only the moat is clearly distinguishable now. A dilapidated church and cemetery can also be seen in the town. Pulicat Lake is a quiet picnic spot for nature lovers and bird watchers. This unpolluted lake is a far cry from the clutter of city life, but at a reasonable distance. A recommended Sunday trip, to recharge your batteries. The best time to visit - October to March.

BEAUTIFUL PELICANS/SNAKE PARK/CHILDREN'S PARK, GUINDY: Come to the Children’s Park, Guindy to watch the exquisite Rosy or White Pelicans floating buoyantly in the water.
The very size of the birds catches the eyes of the visitors to the Park. Larger than the vulture, two of the three rosy pelicans are one of the oldest in the Park. The third one was added to the crew two years ago. Park Officials on the day-to-day basis feed 1.5 kg of fish to each of these beautiful pelicans. White or rose tinged with a tuft of yellowish feathers on the breast, the rosy pelicans have a slight crest and the feathers on the forehead end in the point above the bill.
Partly a winter visitor, the rosy pelicans are found from Punjab to Assam and occasionally in South India. February to April is their nesting season, which was recorded in the Great Rann of Kutch four decades ago by the ornithologists. Their nests are a bed of feathers, which are arranged on the ground, and the larger-than-vulture bird lays two eggs at a time, ivory white in colour. Founded by wildlife conservationist Romulus Whitaker, the Snake Park, at Guindy, houses a variety of reptiles. Cobras, Pythons, Kraits, Adders, Vipers, Monitor Lizards and giant Turtles are some of the special 'draws' at the Park. Lecture-demonstrations, by the hour, in Tamil, Hindi and English, helps inform and educate visitors. For the adventurous, an opportunity is given to handle the snakes at these demonstrations. Equally interesting is the venom-extraction demonstration. Open from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm.Closed on Tuesdays.

Adjoining the Snake Park is the Children's Park. This huge park, with spotted deer, peacocks, etc., has playgrounds, slides and swings for the kids. Also available are elephant and pony rides on weekends. This park also has a sizeable collection of birds. Open from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm.Closed on Tuesdays

CROCODILE BANK: On the East Coast to Maamallapuram, you can get as close as you will ever get, to those big-jawed crawlers we call Alligators, Crocodiles or Muggers. That is at the Crocodile Bank, run by Chennai's most popular wildlife conservationist - Romulus Whitaker.
This is a captive-breeding centre where different species of Indian and African Alligators and Crocodiles can be viewed in open pits. A snake venom extraction centre conducts venom-extraction demonstrations in the same campus.