News Excerpt:
India has added two bird sanctuaries from Bihar, Nagi and Nakti, to the ‘Ramsar Sites’ list, taking the tally to 82.
More about the news:
- The newest ‘Wetlands of International Importance’, are both man-made reservoirs situated in the Jhajha forest range of Jamui District in Bihar.
- India now equals China in terms of Ramsar Sites. Both countries have 82 recognised waterlogged ecosystems in the country.
- The United Kingdom has the highest number of Ramsar Sites globally, with 175 recognised wetlands followed by Mexico with 144 sites.
What is the Ramsar Convention?
- It is an intergovernmental treaty, adopted on 2nd February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea.
- Under the Convention, each Contracting Party undertakes to designate at least one wetland site for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance.
- There are over 2,000 "Ramsar Sites" on the territories of over 160 Contracting Parties across the world.
- India became a party to the ‘Convention on Wetlands’, on 1st February 1982 and has since then designated 82 wetlands.
Nagi wetland:
- Nagi Bird Sanctuary is a 200-hectare wetland in Jamui district of Bihar.
- It was formed as a result of the construction of the Nagi dam
- It is a prime location for migrating birds in the winter season from October to April.
- It was declared a bird sanctuary in 1984. It has also been designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International.
- The wetland and its fringes provide habitat for over 75 bird species, 33 fish, and 12 aquatic plants.
- It also hosts one of the largest congregations of bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) on the Indo-Gangetic plain.
Nakti wetland:
- Created primarily for irrigation through the Nakti Dam construction.
- It is a Habitat for over 150 species of birds, mammals, fish, aquatic plants, reptiles, and amphibians.
- It is home to the endangered Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) and vulnerable native catfish (Wallago attu).
- It is predominantly surrounded by dry deciduous forests and hills.
- It was recognised as Bird Sanctuary 1984, emphasising its significance as a wintering habitat for migratory species.
- It hosts over 20,000 birds during winter, including a large congregation of red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) on the Indo-Gangetic plain.
Conclusion:
The inclusion of Nagi and Nakti wetlands in the Ramsar Sites list highlights India's commitment to conserving vital ecosystems. It demonstrates India’s dedication to biodiversity preservation and sustainable water resource management, further enhancing its global ecological standing and fostering international cooperation in environmental protection.
