India’s Ramsar Sites Reach 103: Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel

Context

India’s Ramsar site count has reached 103 with the addition of Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh.

About Sukhna Wetland

• Location: Chandigarh, at the foothills of the Shivalik Range.
• Origin: Man-made freshwater reservoir created in 1958 by damming the seasonal Sukhna Choe stream.
• Ecological Importance: A stopover on the Central Asian Flyway, supporting migratory waterbirds and threatened species such as the Common Pochard, Pallas’s Fish Eagle and Black Pond Turtle.
• Habitat: Includes open water, marshes, reed beds, scrub and surrounding forest.
• Conservation Focus: Catchment management, soil and moisture conservation, control of siltation and removal of invasive aquatic weeds.

About Sauj Jheel

• Location: Mainpuri district, Uttar Pradesh, near Kishni; part of the Indo-Gangetic floodplain.
• Nature: Perennial, shallow floodplain lake and an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).
• Ecological Importance: Supports over 30,000 waterbirds and provides habitat for the Sarus Crane and Greater Spotted Eagle.
• Vegetation: Includes lotus and wild sugarcane, which provide nesting cover and habitats for aquatic fauna.
• Conservation Focus: Seasonal fishing restrictions, prohibition of destructive fine-mesh monofilament nets and regulation of livestock grazing.

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