- The Andhra Pradesh Government has constituted a seven-member committee for fulfilment of norms required for proposing the Godavari Mangroves(Mada forests) at Coringa as a World Heritage Site.
- The State government eyes heritage site tag for the mangroves so that it would get UNESCO funding to protect and preserve the wildlife sanctuary and attract international tourists.
- Godavari Mangroves at the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWLS) are touted to be the second largest mangroves in India.The largest mangrove forest in the world is Sundarbans,West Bengal.
- The CWLS also has an 18-km-long sand pit where olive ridley sea turtles nest from January to March every year.
- A wide variety of birds nest in Coringa sanctuary due to huge quantity of feed available in the backwaters in the forests.Some endangered species such as long billed vulture and spot billed pelican,white ibis and other birds are nesting in the sanctuary.
- Mangroves are shrubs or small trees that grow in coastal saline or brackish water.They are salt tolerant trees also called halophytes and are adapted to harsh coastal conditions.
- Mangroves occur worldwide in the tropics and subtropics mainly between latitudes 25° N and 25° S.
- A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area which is selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance, and is legally protected by international treaties.The sites are judged important to the collective interests of humanity.
Heritage site status for Coringa mangroves likely
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