VEDANTHAANGAL BIRD SANCTUARY

About 85 kms from Chennai, in around 74 acres of marshland, over 1,00,000 migratory birds stop by every year.

Vedanthaangal is one of the largest and oldest bird sanctuaries in the country. Among the 100 odd species seen here are Herons, Pelicans, Spoonbills, open-billed Storks, Swans, White Ibis and Darters. The best spot to view the birds is the Watchtower. The ideal time would be early morning or late afternoon.

The sanctuary comes alive between November and February every year when most of the birds can be seen.

More than 30 kms from Chennai, the Aringnjar Anna Zoological Park is situated on 1,265 acres. Largest of such parks in South Asia, it is also one of the finest in the country.

Large enclosures skirted by moats, facilitate free movement of the animals in a near-natural environment. Among the biggest draws at the park are the Lion safari, the nocturnal animals enclosure, the reptile enclosures and the Aviary.

Apart from the guided group tours, those who wish to go it alone can cycle their way through. Bicycles are available on hire.

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.

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