Aug 26, 2024
By: Kapil Yadav
The Ramsar List, or the List of Wetlands of International Importance, is a global network of protected wetlands under the Ramsar Convention, signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. As of November 2022, 172 countries are part of the treaty. With three new additions in August 2024, India's tally has reached 85 Ramsar sites.
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The latest addition to the Ramsar convention list, the Nanjarayan bird sanctuary is located in the Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu, covering an area of 125.86 hectares. This sanctuary is home to bird species like Bar-headed Goose, Northern shoveler, Spot-billed Pelican and Heronry.
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Located in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary is home to over 200 species of birds and is a breeding ground for over 40,000 migratory birds. This is one of the latest Indian additions to the Ramsar convention list.
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Tawa reservoir is built on the Tawa River which is a tributary of the Narmada River. This reservoir was formed by the construction of the Tawa dam and became a massive wintering ground for migratory birds. It is the third latest addition to the Ramsar convention list in India.
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Constructed primarily to store monsoon rainwater, Magadi Kere has recently been added to the Ramsar convention list due to its provision of stable habitat conditions for over 165 species of birds. This site is home to some of the threatened species like northern shoveler, garganey and common pochard.
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One of the largest freshwater lakes in the state of Tamil Nadu, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary is a foraging and stopover for a huge number of migratory birds. Some of the most common threatened species found here are spotted eagle and Indian darter. It became a Ramsar site in 2024.
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Also designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Longwood Shola Reserve Forest is one of the most unique Ramsar sites in the list because it is the only natural shola forest remaining in the vicinity of Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu.
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Built to provide irrigation water to the nearby drought-risk areas, this conservation reserve is a human-made wetland. It is known for its rich bird diversity with over 240 bird species recorded over the past few years.
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Covering an area of over 4,801 ha, this site is located where the Aghanashini River flows into the Arabian Sea in Karnataka State. Added to the Ramsar convention list in 2023, the Aghanashini estuary supports a rich biodiversity with over 80 fish, 115 birds and 45 mangroves and mangrove-associated species.
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