Ramsar Sites in India

• Total Ramsar Sites in India: 85.

New Sites Added:

• Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu):
  • Location: Northeastern Uthukuli Taluk, Tiruppur District.
  • Ecological Significance: Originally a reservoir for irrigation, now a vital ecosystem supporting various bird species, including migratory birds from the Central Asian Flyway.
  • Avifauna: Home to species like the Eurasian coot, spot-billed duck, and various herons.
• Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu):
  • Location: Villupuram District, North of Pondicherry on the Coromandel Coast.
  • Ecology: A brackish water wetland with salt marshes, mudflats, and shallow waters.
  • Flora and Fauna: Hosts endangered species like the black-headed ibis and greater flamingo. Mangrove patches and reed beds dominate the area.
  • Significance: Important stopover for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, contributing to flood control and groundwater recharge.
• Tawa Reservoir (Madhya Pradesh):
  • Location: Constructed at the confluence of the Tawa and Denwa rivers, inside the Satpura Tiger Reserve.
  • Ecological role: Provides irrigation, and drinking water, and supports local fisheries. It’s a major wintering ground for migratory birds.
  • Key features: Largest protected area in Madhya Pradesh, forming the western boundary of Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Tawa River: The longest tributary of the Narmada River (172 km), originating in the Mahadeo hills, and flowing through the Betul district.
• Wetlands: Wetlands include areas like marshes, swamps, peatlands, rivers, lakes, and other water bodies.
  • They can be natural or artificial, and the water may be fresh, brackish, or salt, and can vary in its state (static or flowing).
  • Wetlands also cover shallow marine waters with a depth not exceeding six meters at low tide.
• Ramsar Convention:
  • Background: An intergovernmental treaty signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, aimed at the conservation of wetlands worldwide.
  • Criteria for selection: Sites are designated based on their importance to the life cycles of species, support for biodiversity, and ability to sustain waterbirds and fish.
  • India’s involvement: India joined the Ramsar Convention in 1982, initially designating Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) as Ramsar sites.