Ramsar Sites – Part 7

List of Ramsar Sites in India

(U – W)

Uttar Pradesh

Bakhira Bird Sanctuary:

• The Bakhira Bird Sanctuary is the largest natural flood plain wetland of India.
• The Sanctuary was established in 1980 and is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2021.

Haiderpur wetland:

• Haiderpur wetland is one of the largest human-made wetland that was formed in 1984 after the construction of Madhya Ganga Barrage.
• The region is fed by the Ganges and its tributary Solani River.
• It is located within the boundaries of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary.
• The animals found here include critically endangered gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and the endangered hog deer (Axis porcinus), black-bellied tern (Sterna acuticauda), steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis), Indian skimmer (Rynchops albicollis) and gold mahseer (Tor putitora).
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2021.

Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary:

• Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary was renamed in 2015 to Shahid Chandra Shekhar Azad Bird Sanctuary.
• Monsoon rains feed this diverse wetland while the Sarda Canal supplies additional water.
• The animals found here include globally threatened species including the endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and Pallas’s fish eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) as well as the vulnerable lesser adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) and woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus).
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2019.

Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary:

• The sanctuary consists of two lakes viz Parvati and Arga situated about 1.5 Km. apart.
• The lake is naturally able to sustain resident birds throughout the year and migratory birds during winter season.
• It was a part of the Saryu River, which later shifted its flow path leaving these lakes as its remains.
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2019.

Saman Bird Sanctuary:

• The Saman Bird Sanctuary is a seasonal oxbow lake on the Ganges floodplain.
• The Sanctuary regularly provides refuge to over 50,000 waterbirds (187 bird species have been recorded).
• 1% of the South Asian population of greylag goose (Anser anser) uses this as a wintering site.
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2019.

Samaspur Bird Sanctuary:

• Samaspur Bird Sanctuary is a perennial lowland marsh typical of the Indo-Gangetic Plains.
• Its six connected lakes are heavily reliant on monsoon rains.
• The Sanctuary harbours threatened species such as the endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and Pallas’s fish eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus), and more than 1% of the South Asian population of the vulnerable common pochard (Aythya ferina).
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2019.

Sandi Bird Sanctuary:

• Sandi Bird Sanctuary is a freshwater marsh in the Indo-Gangetic plains and receives most of its water from monsoon rains.
• It is home to over 1% of the South Asian populations of common teal (Anas crecca), red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) and ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca), while the vulnerable sarus crane (Grus antigone) has a population of 200 individuals within the Sanctuary.
• It has been declared as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2019.

Sarsai Nawar Wetland:

• This typical wetland of the Indo-Gangetic floodplain is fed by precipitation run-off from the South West monsoon rains.
• The animals found here include the vulnerable sarus crane (Grus antigone), the critically endangered white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and endangered woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus).
• It is recognized by Birdlife International as an Important Bird Area.
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2019.

Sur Sarovar:

• Sur Sarovar, also known as Keetham Lake, is a human-made reservoir; originally created to supply water to the city of Agra in summer.
• Species found here include the vulnerable greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga), sarus crane (Grus antigone) and catfish Wallago attu.
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2020.

Upper Ganga River:

• Upper Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch) is a shallow river stretch of the great Ganges with intermittent small stretches of deep-water pools and reservoirs upstream from barrages.
• The river provides habitat for IUCN Red listed Ganges River Dolphin, Gharial, Crocodile, 6 species of turtles, otters, 82 species of fish and more than hundred species of birds.
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2005.

Uttarakhand

Asan Conservation Reserve:

• The Asan Barrage is a barrage in the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border region in Doon Valley.
• 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 (Sarcogyps calvus), white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri).
• More than 1% of the biogeographical populations of two waterbird species have been recorded, these being red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) and ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea).
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2020.

West Bengal

East Kolkata Wetlands:

• East Kolkata Wetlands are a complex of natural and human-made wetlands lying east of the city of Kolkata.
• The wetland forms an urban facility for treating the city’s wastewater and utilizing the treated water for pisciculture and agriculture.
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2002.

Sundarbans National Park:

• Sundarban Wetland is located within the largest mangrove forest in the world.
• The Indian Sundarban, covering the south-westernmost part of the delta, constitutes over 60% of the country’s total mangrove forest area and includes 90% of Indian mangrove species.
• The Sundarban Tiger Reserve is situated within the Site and part of it has been declared a “critical tiger habitat” under national law and also a “Tiger Conservation Landscape” of global importance.
• The Sundarbans are the only mangrove habitat which supports a significant population of tigers.
• It was declared as a wetland of international importance in 2019.

New Additions:

India in August 2022 added 11 more sites in the Ramsar Convention.

They are: