Amazing news:five more Indian places has been added to Ramsar Site

Why Ramsar Site in News

• Recently, 5 more sites have been added to Ramsar site.
• From Karnataka, Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, and Aghanashini Estuaryarei are identified.
• From Tamil Nadu, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest are identified.

About Ramsar Sites

• Ramsar site is a wetlandsite designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, also known as “The Convention on Wetlands“, an international environmental treaty signed on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, under the auspices of UNESCO.
• It provides for national action and international cooperation regarding the conservationof wetlands, and wise sustainable use of their resources.
• There are different types of wetlands: Marine/Costal wetlands, Inland wetlands, Man-made
• Currently there are over 2400 Ramsar sites across the world. World’s first Ramsar site was Cobourg peninsula in Australia. UK tops the list with 175 Ramsar sites followed by Mexico which has 142 sites identified.
• In India, Tamil Nadu tops the list with 16 sites followed by Uttar Pradesh at 10 sites.
• 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).

Let’s look at newly identified sites

• ·  Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve:
  • It is a man-made Village Irrigation Tank built centuries back.
  • It is an ecologically important wetland and rich in biodiversity.
  • It supports more than 1% of the biogeographic population of Painted Stork and Black-headed Ibis.

• Aghanashini Estuary:
  • It is formed at the confluence of the Aghanashini River with the Arabian sea
  • The brackish water of the Estuary provides diverse ecosystem services including flood and erosion risk mitigation, biodiversity conservation and livelihood support.
  • The wetland helps in traditional fish farming in the estuarine rice fields (locally known as Gazni rice fields), bivalve shell collection and salt production.

• The Longwood Shola Reserve Forest:
  • It derives its name from the Tamil word, “Solai”, which means a ‘tropical rainforest’.
  • These forested wetlands serve as habitats for the globally endangered Black-chinned Nilgiri Laughing thrush, Nilgiri Blue Robin and vulnerable Nilgiri Wood-pigeon.
  • The ‘Sholas’ are found in the upper reaches of the Nilgiris, Anamalais, Palni hills, Kalakadu, Mundanthurai and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
• Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve:
  • It is a man-made wetland which was constructed to store rainwater for irrigation purposes
  • The wetland harbours two vulnerable species, namely the Common pochard and River tern and four near-threatened species, namely the Oriental Darter Black-headed Ibis Woolly-necked Stork and Painted Stork.
  • It is also one of the largest wintering grounds for the Bar-headed goose.
• Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary:
  • It is one of the largest inland wetlands of Tamil Nadu and is a significant source of groundwater recharge for the area.

FAQs

Q1: What is Ramsar sites?

Ans: Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, also known as “The Convention on Wetlands”, an international environmental treaty signed on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, under the auspices of UNESCO.

Q2: Which was the first site to be identified under Ramsar convention?

Ans: World’s first Ramsar site was Cobourg peninsula in Australia.

Q3: Which country has highest number of Ramsar sites?

Ans: UK has 175 Ramsar sites which is highest in any country.

Q4:Which Ramsar sites are recently added in India?

Ans: From Karnataka, Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, and Aghanashini Estuaryarei are identified and from Tamil Nadu, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest are identified.

Q5: Which state has highest number of Ramsar sites in India

Ans: Tamil Nadu has 16 sites under Ramsar convention which is highest in India.