Introduction:

Four more wetlands from India have been added to the Ramsar list and have been recognized as wetlands of global importance in accordance with the Ramsar Convention.

Highlights:

• India is home to more than a dozen of threatened and near threatened bird species.
• Four sites that have been included are:
• Thol from Gujarat
• Wadhwana from Gujarat,
• Sultanpur from Haryana and
• Bhindawas from Haryana.
• These sites are home to endangered Egyptian Vulture, Sociable Lapwing, Saker Falcon, and near threatened Dalmatian Pelican.

Number of Ramsar Sites in India

With the latest addition, the number of Ramsar sites in India have reached to 46. These 46 sites cover a surface area of 1,083,322 hectares.

Why Ramsar list was created?

Ramsar list was created with the aim of developing and maintaining an international network of wetlands which are important to conserve global biological diversity and to sustaining human life by maintaining their ecosystem components, processes and benefits.

Significance of the wetlands

• Wetlands play a significant role in conservation of biodiversity.
• They purify and replenish the ground water.
•  They also act as a natural sponge against flooding & drought and protect our coastlines.
• They also play role in fighting the climate change.
• They act as critical carbon sinks in Urban areas and play a significant role in preventing urban flooding.

Sanctuary Bhindawas Wildlife

• It is the largest wetland in Haryana.
• This human-made freshwater wetland comprises of more than 250 bird species.
• The bird species use the sanctuary throughout the year for resting and roosting.
•  It also supports more than ten globally threatened species such as Steppe Eagle, endangered Egyptian Vulture, Black-bellied Tern and Pallas’s Fish Eagle.

Sultanpur National Park

This Park from Haryana provides support to more than 220 species of resident, winter migratory and local migratory waterbirds.

Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary

• It lies on Central Asian Flyway in Gujarat