page_title: Kolleru Lake
section_title: Sanctuary
hierarchical_section_title: Kolleru Lake / Sanctuary
caption_attribution_description: English: Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis in Kolleru, Andhra Pradesh, India.
context_page_description: Kolleru Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in India located in state of Andhra Pradesh and forms the largest shallow freshwater lake in Asia, 15 kilometers away from the Eluru and 65km from Rajamahendravaram. Kolleru is located between Krishna and Godavari deltas. Kolleru spans into two districts – Krishna and West Godavari. The lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru streams, and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari irrigation systems by over 67 major and minor irrigation canals. This lake is a major tourist attraction. Many birds migrate here in winter, such as Siberian crane, ibis, and painted storks. The lake was an important habitat for an estimated 20 million resident and migratory birds, including the grey or spot-billed pelican. The lake was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 under India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and designated a wetland of international importance in November 2002 under the international Ramsar Convention. The wildlife sanctuary covers an area of 308 km².
  Kolleru Lake under Ramsar Convention covers 90,100 hectares and Kolleru Lake under Wildlife Sanctuary covers 166,000 acres
context_section_description: The sanctuary has the following watch towers for sighting the birds.
  Atapaka: 1.5 km from Kaikaluru to see varieties of waterfowl.
  Murthyraju tank 8 km from Nidamarru
  East Chodavaram: 25 km from Eluru where openbill storks nest in colonies from July to December.
  The sanctuary is approachable from all four sides of the lake by road, directly to the following places.
  Atapaka – 2.5 km from Kaikaluru town
  Bhujabalapatnam – 6 km from Kaikaluru
  pallevada −9  km from kaikaluru town
  Kovvada Lanka—7 km from Kaikaluru town *Murthiraju Tanks – 8 km from Nidamarru
  Gudivakalanka – 3 km from Gudivakalanka or 15 km from Eluru, The nearest city by road or rail.
  Prathikola Lanaka or 19 km from Eluru. The nearest city is Eluru, which is 35 km by road.
  Kolletikota −18 km from Kaikalur.
  Accommodation:
  Hotels in Eluru, Bhimavaram, Narsapur, Palakollu, Kaikaluru, Akividu, Rajamahendravaram, Vijayawada and Machilipatnam.
caption: Spot-billed pelicans Pelecanus philippensis at Attapaka in Kolleru Lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
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