Five more Indian wetlands have been added to the global list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, taking the total number of such highly recognised waterlogged ecosystems in the country to 80.
- Of the five wetlands added to the Ramsar list, Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, and Aghanashini Estuary are in Karnataka and Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest are in Tamil Nadu.
- With the addition of these five wetlands to List of Wetlands of International Importance, the total area covered under Ramsar sites is now 1.33 million ha which is an increase of 5,523.87 ha from existing area (of 1.327 million ha.
- Tamil Nadu continues to have maximum number of Ramsar Sites (16 sites) followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).
- Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve (Karnataka) is a humanmade Village Irrigation Tank built centuries back and is spread over an area of 98.76ha (244.04 acre) adjoining the Ankasamudra village.
- Aghanashini Estuary (Karnataka), spread over an area of 4801 ha, is formed at the confluence of Aghanashini River with the Arabian sea. It is known for its traditional fish farming in the estuarine rice fields locally known as Gazni rice fields.
- Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve (Karnataka) is a human-made wetland with an area of nearly 50 hectares which was constructed to store rainwater for irrigation purposes.
- Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary spanning 453.72 ha is one of the largest inland wetlands of Tamil Nadu.
- The Longwood Shola Reserve Forest (Tamil Nadu) derives its name from the Tamil word, “Solai”, which means a ‘tropical rain forest’. The ‘Sholas’ are found in the upper reaches of the Nilgiris, Anamalais, Palni hills, Kalakadu, Mundanthurai and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
Ramsar Convention
- The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. It is named after the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the Caspian Sea, where the treaty was signed on February 2, 1971.
- India is one of the Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention.
- World Wetlands Day (WWD) is celebrated across the globe to commemorate the adoption of this international agreement on wetlands on 2nd February 1971.
- India ratified this Convention on 1st February 1982. The theme of WWD-2024 is ‘Wetlands and Human Wellbeing.
