Ravva Wildlife: Nurturing an Ecosystem

Ecosystem, a beautiful harmony between organisms, trees, and wildlife that's evolved over thousands of years, can be devastated by certain human activities. Industrialisation, growth and development have often come at the cost of environmental management. Unfortunately, thus, we're living in times where human impact on biodiversity is worrisome - flora and fauna are disappearing quite rapidly, about 1 million species globally are on the verge of dying, and the list is endless.

Vedanta’s Cairn Oil & Gas, is India's largest private oil and gas exploration and production company, accounting for more than a quarter of India's domestic crude oil production. It has a world-class resource base, with a current interest in 58 blocks in India, out of which one block stands out for its immense success in creating a harmonious living with our co-habitants – the Ravva oil and gas field. Situated at the confluence of the backwaters of the Bay of Bengal and freshwater from the tributaries of Godavari, it has evolved into a flourishing ecosystem and a thriving wildlife sanctuary, and is a perfect example of the company’s commitment to sustainability.

Spread around 331.26 km2, Ravva is located in the Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh. 90% of the block area falls in the Bay of Bengal; the remaining portion is situated on land. Most of the onshore area covers backwaters, canals, and fishing ponds. A 225-acre onshore processing facility at Surasaniyanam processes natural gas and crude oil from the Ravva field. Creating a wildlife-friendly environment on this block was indeed challenging, but with consistent efforts, this crude oil processing plant has become home to thousands of birds and numerous unique species.

Vedanta's efforts in supporting sustainable conservation began early in 2004, and eventually, the green belt concept was brought into action. A few years later, in 2009, the mangrove establishment project started shaping up. Many salt-tolerant species were chosen and planted to develop the green belt. And thus, the vision of turning the Ravva field into a nature-friendly facility became a reality.

Ravva terminal, what years ago was merely a swampy land with inconsistent streams of backwater, is now a manmade mangrove forest roosted with resplendent avifauna and faunal diversity. Fifty-six acres of mangrove plantation within the terminal hosts an array of ecologically precious species such as a smooth-coated otter- a protected species, fishing cat- an endangered species, golden jackal, and olive ridley turtles. Several threatened avifauna species like oriental darter, painted stork, alexandrine parakeet, black-headed ibis, black-tailed godwit, curlew sandpiper, eurasian curlew, spot-billed pelican, and many others thrive in the block.

Ravva's mesmerising greenbelt hosts flora & fauna, which further attracts birds from the Palearctic region beyond the Himalayas, especially Northern Asia (Russia, Mongolia, and China); countries of Central Asia, and a few from Southern Africa, Australia, and the Philippines between October to March. Plovers, sandpipers, pintails, shovelers, turnstones, sanderlings, dunlins, stilts, stints, ibises, storks, and thousands of birds visit Ravva mangrove backwaters during the season.

This, coupled with over 106 acres of area covered with a range of native and exotic plant species, contribute to the ecological conservation of Ravva, a massive, lush greenbelt flourishing with diverse wildlife.

Vedanta is committed to ensuring zero harm to the environment and to creating healthy ecosystems where humans thrive in harmony with nature. The Ravva block in Andhra Pradesh, which has, in line with Vedanta's ESG vision, implemented several biodiversity initiatives to ensure no net loss and net positive impact and increased ecosystem restoration, is a perfect testimony of this commitment.