About Parvati-Arga Bird Sanctuary:
- Location: It is situated in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh.
- It is a permanent freshwater environment consisting of two oxbow lakes namely Parvati and Arga.
- It is designated as Ramsar site.
- Fauna: It is the critically endangered white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and Indian vulture (Gyps indicus), and the endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) have all been recorded.
- Invasive species such as the common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is also found here.
- Flora: The Vegetation of the Sanctuary is representative of that of the indo-gangetive ecosystem.
What is Eco-Sensitive Zone?
- It is also known as Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs).
- These are areas notified and regulated by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
- Purpose of declaring ESZs:
- To create some kind of shock absorbers to the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities around such areas
- To act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.
- Extent of ESZ: An ESZ could extend up to 10 km around a protected area.
