RAMSAR- Wetland Sites in India

Introduction of Ramsar Convention:

Ramsar Convention (established in 1971 by UNESCO, and came into force in 1975) is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands that recognizes the fundamental ecological functions and economic, cultural, recreational, and scientific values of these sites.

• The name Ramsar was given after the name of the city Ramsar in Iran, the treaty signed there in 1971.
• Every year 2nd February is celebrated as world wetland Day, which was celebrated for the first time in 1997.
• There are currently over 2,400 Ramsar Sites around the world. They cover over 2.5 million square kilometers
• The number of sites in the United Kingdom i.e. 175 and Mexico is 142. 
• The world’s first Ramsar Site was the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia, designated in 1974.

The largest Sites are Rio Negro in Brazil (120,000 square kilometers), Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Queen Maud Gulf in Canada; these Sites each cover over 60,000 square km. Others are as small as one hectare.

In Begusarai district

Unnao district 

situated in the Gonda District 

Also known as Maharana Pratap Sagar on Beas river

Mainpuri district, in western Uttar Pradesh.

situated near Salon in Raebareli district

Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh

Etawah district

also known as Keetham Lake

In Agra district

Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary is a human-made freshwater wetland and is the largest wetland in Haryana State

July 2022

July 2022

Man-made wetland

Satkosia Gorge

The gorge Satk0sia is over Mahanadi in Odisha.

It is the meeting point of two biogeographic regions of India; the Deccan Peninsula and the Eastern Ghats, contributing to immense biodiversity

The majority of the area is intermittent freshwater marshes that lie adjacent to one of the major rivulets of the Zauri River

It is the first Marine Biosphere reserve in South East Asia

This site has been listed as one of the important bird Areas (IBA) in Karnataka and India by the Bombay Natural History society.

It is a human-made inland tank.

This wetland forms part of the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) and hence part of BirdLife International Data Zone

Also known as Periyakulam Yeri

11 more wetlands are added to the list of Ramsar sites in India

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1851484

It is a freshwater lake in the Ganjam district of Odisha.

It is the largest earthen dam in Odisha.

The largest freshwater lake in Odisha. It is an oxbow lake formed by the river Mahanadi.

Also called ‘Chitrangudi Kanmoli’

Hygam Wetland falls within the River Jhelum basin