Shri Bhupender Yadav says India increases its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 80 by adding Five more wetlands to the list on the eve of World Wetlands Day 2024 (2nd February)
Shri Bhupender Yadav says India increases its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 80 by adding Five more wetlands to the list on the eve of World Wetlands Day 2024 (2nd February)
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav said on the eve of World Wetlands Day 2024, India has increased its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 80 from existing 75 by designating five more wetlands as Ramsar sites. In a post Shri Yadav said he met Dr Musonda Mumba, the Secretary General of Ramsar Convention who handed over the certificates of the aforesaid five sites.
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Met with Dr Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, in Delhi today.
With two days to go for #WorldWetlandsDay, India today increased its tally of Ramsar Sites from 75 to 80.
The emphasis PM Shri @narendramodi ji has put on environmental… pic.twitter.com/g1aMX8mS9V
Shri Yadav said the emphasis Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has put on environmental protection and conservation has led to a paradigm shift in how India treats its wetlands. He said this reflects in the Amrit Dharohar initiative envisioned by PM Modi. The Union Minister congratulated the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka whose wetlands have made it to the list of Ramsar Sites.
Smt. Leena Nandan, Secretary EF&CC along with Shri Jitendra Kumar, DG (Forest) & SS and Dr. Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, Joint Secretary (Wetlands) and National Focal Point for Ramsar Convention were also present on the occasion.
Dr Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, today handed over the Ramsar Site certificates for:
🔷 Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
🔷 Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve, Karnataka
🔷 Longwood Shola Reserve Forest, Tamil Nadu
🔷 Ankasamudra Bird… pic.twitter.com/IESqCpE4m6
Three of these sites, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary and Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve are located in Karnataka whereas two, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest are in Tamilnadu. 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).
India is one of the Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. 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. Earlier in August 2022, India achieved a significant milestone of taking the total number of Ramsar Sites to 75 during the 75th Year of Independence. Due to a significant policy push from the Government of India, the number of Ramsar sites has increased from 26 to 80 in the last ten years, of which 38 have been added in the last three years alone.
The theme of WWD-2024 is ‘Wetlands and Human Wellbeing’ which underscores the critical role wetlands play in enhancing our lives. It highlights how wetlands contribute to flood protection, clean water, biodiversity and recreational opportunities, all of which are essential for human health and prosperity.
This year, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh, is organizing the national World Wetlands Day event at Sirpur Lake, Indore, a Ramsar site designated in 2022. Dr. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of Ramsar Convention is visiting India to participate in the WWD 2024 to be held at Sirpur Ramsar site in Indore on 2nd February, 2024. The event will also be attended by senior officials from Govt. of India, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, State/ UT Wetland Authority representatives and site managers of Ramsar sites.
List of newly designated Ramsar Sites
Name of Ramsar Site
State
Total area in ha
1
Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve
Karnataka
98.76
2
Aghanashini Estuary
Karnataka
4801
3
Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve
Karnataka
54.38
4
Karaivetti Bird sanctuary
Tamil Nadu
453.72
5
Longwood Shola Reserve Forest
Tamil Nadu
116.007
5,523.867
A view of Ankasamudra Bird CR Checkered keelback at Ankasamudra
Sanikatta salt pans of Aghanashini
Aghanashini estuary with mangroves blending
Panoramic view of Magadi Kere Bar headed goose in Magadi Kere
Karaivetti Wetland
A pair of Black Winged Stilt mating
Images of the forested wetlands of the Longwood Shola Forest
- Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve 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. It is an ecologically important wetland, rich in biodiversity, comprising over 210 species of plants, 8 species of mammals, 25 species of reptiles, 240 species of birds, 41 species of fishes, 3 species of frogs, 27 species of butterflies and 32 species of odonates. Over 30’000 waterbirds nest and roost at this wetland, which also supports more than 1% of the biogeographic population of Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) and Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus).