NEW RAMSAR SITES (5 QUESTIONS)

LONAR LAKE

This wetland on the Deccan Plateau is an endorheic or closed basin, almost circular in shape, formed by a meteorite impact onto the basalt bedrock.

The Site includes the lake as well as escarpments, which form the crater walls and forested zones.

The lake is high in salinity and alkalinity as the lack of an outflow leads to a concentration of minerals as the lake water evaporates.

Specialized micro-organisms such as anaerobes, cyanobacteria and phytoplankton survive in this harsh chemical environment.

Outside the lake, there is considerable diversity of plant and animal life, as springs which help feed the lake provide a source of fresh water.

Inhabiting the Site are 160 species of birds including the vulnerable Asian woollyneck and common pochard, 46 species of reptiles, and 12 species of mammals including the iconic grey wolf.

Factors which threaten the site include household sewage and urban wastewater and unsustainable tourism.

Location: Site lies in Buldhana district in the state of Maharashtra

SUR SAROVAR (KEETHAM LAKE)

Sur Sarovar, also known as Keetham Lake, is a human-made reservoir, originally created to supply water to the city of Agra in summer, the wetland soon became an important and rich ecosystem.

The Site’s patchwork of different habitat types provides refuge to resident and migratory birds, and more than 60 species of fish.

Threatened species include the vulnerable greater spotted eagle, sarus crane and catfish Wallago attu.

The Site is important for bird species which migrate on the Central Asian flyway, with over 30,000 waterbirds known to visit the reservoir annually.

Over 1% of the South Asian regional population of the greylag goose is present.

Unsustainable tourism, invasive species and household sewage and urban wastewater present significant threats to the Site.

Location : The wetland is located on Delhi-Mathura highway (National Highway-2), in Agra district, Uttar Pradesh

KABARTAL WETLAND

Kabartal, also known as Kanwar Jheel, covers 2,620 hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains in Bihar.

It is Asia's largest ox-bow lake.

The Site is one of 18 wetlands within an extensive floodplain complex; it floods during the monsoon season to a depth of 1.5 metres.

This absorption of floodwaters is a vital service in Bihar State where 70% of the land is vulnerable to inundation.

During the dry season, areas of marshland dry out and are used for agriculture.

The Wetland is an important stopover along the Central Asian Flyway, with 58 migratory waterbirds using it to rest and refuel.

It is also a valuable site for fish biodiversity with over 50 species documented.

Five critically endangered species inhabit the site, including three vultures – red-headed vulture, white-rumped vulture and Indian vulture – and two waterbirds, the sociable lapwing and Baer’s pochard.

Major threats to the Site include water management activities such as drainage, water abstraction, damming and canalization.

Location : The wetland is situated in Begusarai district in the state of Bihar

Tso Kar Wetland Complex, Ladakh

Recently, Tso Kar Wetland Complex in Ladakh has been declared as the 42nd Ramsar site of India.

Ramsar Site is a conservation status conferred by International Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

With the inclusion of Tso Kar Wetlands, Ladakh now has 2 Ramsar Wetlands of International importance, 2nd being the 'Tso Moriri'.

TSO KAR WETLAND COMPLEX

This high-altitude wetland complex is found at more than 4,500 metres above sea level in the Changthang region of Ladakh.

The complex includes two connected lakes, the freshwater Startsapuk Tso and the larger hypersaline Tso Kar; it presents a notable example of two such lakes existing in close proximity.

The name Tso Kar refers to the white salt efflorescence on the margins of the lake caused by the evaporation of the saline waters.

The local climate is arid and glacial meltwater is the primary water source for the lakes.

The lakes and in particular the presence of fresh water attract biodiversity in a biologically sparse region.

Inhabiting the site are numerous threatened species including the endangered saker falcon and Asiatic wild dog or dhole and the vulnerable snow leopard.

It is an A1 Category Important Bird Area (IBA) as per Bird Life International and a key stopover site in the Central Asian Flyway.

It is one of the most important breeding areas in India for the black-necked crane.

Location : Nyoma Block, Leh District, Union Territory of Ladakh.

ASAN CONSERVATION RESERVE

Asan Conservation Reserve is a 444-hectare stretch of the Asan River running down to its confluence with the Yamuna River in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand.

The damming of the River by the Asan Barrage in 1967 resulted in siltation above the dam wall, which helped to create some of the Site’s bird-friendly habitats.

These habitats support 330 species of birds including the critically endangered red-headed vulture, white-rumped vulture and Baer’s pochard.

More than 1% of the biogeographical populations of two waterbird species have been recorded, these being red-crested pochard and ruddy shelduck.

Other non-avian species present include 49 fish species, one of these being the endangered Putitor mahseer.

Fish use the site for feeding, migration and spawning.

As well as this support for biodiversity and the hydro-electricity production of the Barrage, the Site’s role in maintaining hydrological regimes is important.

Location : Dehradun, Uttarakhand