Ramsar Sites in India 2024, Check Biggest, Largest and Total Wetlands

Ramsar Sites in India

On 1 February 1982, India agreed to the Ramsar Convention to protect wetlands. The Wetlands Rules 2017 allow for all wetlands except for river channels, paddy fields, man-made water bodies for drinking water, aquaculture, salt production, recreation, irrigation, and wetlands covered by other specific laws.

India has over 7 lakh wetlands, covering 4.5% of its area, but none are recognized under domestic laws. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 provide guidelines for wetlands. As of August 2024, India has 85 Ramsar Sites. The Ramsar sites are mentioned in the Montreux Record to track any major ecological changes that could affect them.

Indian Sign Ramsar Convention

India joined the Ramsar Convention on February 1, 1982. The Convention has 172 member countries and protects over 2466 wetlands covering about 255 million hectares. It designates important wetlands as “Wetlands of International Importance” and encourages countries to work together on shared wetlands and species. The Convention also promotes the wise use of wetlands focusing on conservation and sustainable use for the benefit of both people and nature.

List of Ramsar Sites in India

Ramsar Sites in India	State/U.T	Year of Designation	Area( In Sq. Km)
Chilika Lake	Odisha	October 1981	1165
Keoladeo National Park	Rajasthan	October 1981	28.73
Loktak Lake	Manipur	March 1990	266
Sambhar Lake	Rajasthan	March 1990	240
Wular Lake	Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir	March 1990	189
Harike Wetland	Punjab	March 1990	41
Ropar Wetland	Punjab	January 2002	13.65
Kanjli Wetland	Punjab	January 2002	1.83
Vembanad-Kol Wetland	Kerala	August 2002	1512.5
Kolleru Lake	Andhra Pradesh	August 2002	901
Bhitarkanika Mangroves	Odisha	August 2002	650
Ashtamudi Wetland	Kerala	August 2002	614
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	August 2002	385
Pong Dam Lake	Himachal Pradesh	August 2002	156.62
East Calcutta Wetlands	West Bengal	August 2002	125
Tsomoriri	Union Territory of Ladakh	August 2002	120
Deepor Beel	Assam	August 2002	40
Bhoj Wetland	Madhya Pradesh	August 2002	32.01
Sasthamkotta Lake	Kerala	August 2002	3.73
Upper Ganga River	Uttar Pradesh	November 2005	265.9
Hokera Wetland	Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir	November 2005	13.75
Surinsar-Mansar Lakes	Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir	November 2005	3.5
Rudrasagar Lake	Tripura	November 2005	2.4
Chandertal Wetland	Himachal Pradesh	November 2005	0.49
Renuka Wetland	Himachal Pradesh	November 2005	0.2
Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary	Gujarat	September 2012	120
Sundarban Wetland	West Bengal	January 2019	4230
Nandur Madhameshwar	Maharashtra	June 2019	14.37
Beas Conservation Reserve	Punjab	September 2019	64.289
Sandi Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	September 2019	30.85
Sarsai Nawar Jheel	Uttar Pradesh	September 2019	16.13
Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve	Punjab	September 2019	3.439
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	September 2019	2.246
Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary	Punjab	September 2019	1.16
Samaspur Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	October 2019	79.94
Saman Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	December 2019	52.63
Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	December 2019	7.22
Kabartal Wetland	Bihar	July 2020	26.2
Asan Conservation Reserve	Uttarakhand	July 2020	4.44
Lonar Lake	Maharashtra	July 2020	4.27
Sur Sarovar	Uttar Pradesh	August 2020	4.31
Tso Kar Wetland Complex	Union Territory of Ladakh	November 2020	95.77
Haiderpur Wetland	Uttar Pradesh	April 2021	69.08
Thol Lake	Gujarat	April 2021	6.99
Vadhvana Wetland	Gujarat	April 2021	6.3
Khijadiya Wildlife Sanctuary	Gujarat	April 2021	5.12
Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary	Haryana	25 May 2021	4.11
Sultanpur National Park	Haryana	25 May 2021	1.43
Bakhira Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	June 2021	28.94
Pala Wetland	Mizoram	August 2021	18.5
Satkosia Gorge	Odisha	October 2021	982
Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	November 2021	0.72
Sakhya Sagar	Madhya Pradesh	January 2022	2.48
Sirpur Wetland	Madhya Pradesh	January 2022	1.61
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary	Karnataka	February 2022	5.18
Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve	Tamil Nadu	April 2022	527
Pichavaram Mangrove Forest	Tamil Nadu	April 2022	14.79
Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest	Tamil Nadu	April 2022	12.48
Vellode Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	April 2022	0.77
Karikili Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	April 2022	0.58
Udayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	April 2022	0.44
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	April 2022	0.4
Vembanur Wetland Complex	Tamil Nadu	April 2022	0.2
Nanda Lake	Goa	June 2022	0.42
Hirakud Reservoir	Odisha	August 2022	654
Thane Creek	Maharashtra	August 2022	65.2108
Shellbug Wetland Conservation Reserve	Jammu and Kashmir	August 2022	16.75
Yashwant Sagar	Madhya Pradesh	August 2022	8.229
Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve	Jammu and Kashmir	August 2022	8.0182
Tampara Lake	Odisha	August 2022	3
Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	August 2022	2.6047
Ansupa Lake	Odisha	August 2022	2.31
Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	August 2022	1.1264
Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	August 2022	0.9689
Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex	Tamil Nadu	August 2022	0.9423
Aghanashini Estuary	Karnataka	January 2024	48.01
Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	January 2024	4.53
Longwood Shola Reserve Forest	Tamil Nadu	January 2024	1.16
Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve	Karnataka	January 2024	0.99
Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve	Karnataka	January 2024	0.5
Nakti Bird Sanctuary	Bihar	June 2024	3.326
Nagi Bird Sanctuary	Bihar	June 2024	2.1
Tawa Reservoir	Madhya Pradesh	August 2024	200.5
Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	August 2024	51.51
Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	August 2024	1.25

State Wise List of Ramsar Sites in India

Here are the complete updated List of Ramsar sites in India 2024:

Ramsar Sites in India
States/UT	Total Sites	Ramsar Sites
Andhra Pradesh	1	Kolleru Lake
Assam	1	Deepor Beel
Bihar	8	Kanwar Lake Nagi Bird Sanctuary Nakti Bird Sanctuary
Goa	1	Nanda Lake
Gujarat	4	Khijadiya Nalsarovar Thol Lake Wadhvana Wetland
Haryana	2	Sultanpur National Park, Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary
Himachal Pradesh	3	Chandra Taal , Pong Dam Lake, Renuka Lake
Jammu and Kashmir	5	Hokersar Wetland,  Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve, Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve, Surinsar-Mansar Lakes, Wular Lake
Karnataka	1	Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
Kerala	3	Ashtamudi Wetland, Sasthamkotta Lake, Vembanad-Kol Wetland
Ladakh	2	Tso Kar, Tsomoriri Lake
Madhya Pradesh	5	Bhoj Wetland, Sakhya Sagar, Sirpur Lake, Yashwant Sagar Tawa River
Maharashtra	3	Lonar Lake, Nandur Madhameshwar, Thane Creek
Manipur	1	Loktak Lake
Mizoram	1	Pala Wetland
Odisha	6	Ansupa Lake,  Bhitarkanika Mangroves, Chilika Lake,  Hirakud Reservoir, Satkosia Gorge, Tampara Lake
Punjab	6	Beas Conservation Reserve,  Harike Wetland,  Kanjli Wetland, Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve,  Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary, Ropar Wetland
Rajasthan	2	Keoladeo National Park,  Sambhar Lake
Tamil Nadu	16	Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary,  Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, Pallikarnai Marsh Reserve Forest, Pichavaram Mangrove, Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary , Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, Vadavur Bird Sanctuary, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Vellode Bird Sanctuary, Vembannur Wetland Complex Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary
Tripura	1	Rudrasagar Lake
Uttar Pradesh	10	Bakhira Sanctuary, Haiderpur Wetland, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary, Saman Bird Sanctuary, Samaspur Bird Sanctuary, Sandi Bird Sanctuary, Sarsai Nawar Jheel, Sur Sarovar, Upper Ganga River
Uttarakhand	1	Asan Barrage
West Bengal	2	East Kolkata Wetlands, Sundarban Wetland

Largest Ramsar Sites in India

Top 5 Ramsar Sites in India

S. No.	Ramsar site	State	Designation year	Area (in sq. km.)
1.	Sunderbans Wetland	West Bengal	2019	4230
2.	Vembanad Kol Wetland	Kerala	2002	1512.5
3.	Chilka Lake	Odisha	1981	1165
4.	Kolleru Lake	Andhra Pradesh	2002	901
5.	Bhitarkanika Mangroves	Odisha	2002	650

Updated Information on Wetlands in India

There are total of 1301 wetlands including 85 Ramsar, below we share the new additions announced in August 2024.

Sl. No.	Ramsar Site	Date of designation	State
1	Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary	16.01.2024	Tamil Nadu
2	Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary	16.01.2024	Tamil Nadu
3	Tawa Reservoir	08.01.2024	Madhya Pradesh

Ramsar Sites of India Names

Sunderbans Wetland

• The Sundarban Wetland is part of the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest.
• Located in the delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers on the Bay of Bengal, spanning India and Bangladesh.
• Home to hundreds of islands and a complex network of rivers, rivulets, and creeks.
• The Indian Sundarban contains over 60% of India’s total mangrove forest area and 90% of its mangrove species.
• The Sundarban Tiger Reserve is within this area and is designated as a “Tiger Conservation Landscape” of international importance and a “Critical Tiger Habitat” under national law.
• The Sundarbans is the only mangrove habitat with a large tiger population, known for their unique water hunting techniques.
• The area hosts many rare and endangered species, including: Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) Northern river terrapin (Batagur baska) Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)

Vembanad Kol Wetland

• Largest brackish, humid, tropical wetland ecosystem on the southwest coast of India.
• Receives water from ten rivers
• Hosts the third-largest wintering waterfowl population in India.
• Home to about 90 species of resident birds and 50 kinds of migratory birds
• Provides flood protection for three districts of Kerala’s densely populated coastal areas.
•  Helps recharge groundwater, supplying the area’s wells.
• Important for local trade and transportation of people.

Chilka Lake

• Brackish lake with sea water exchange, separated from the Bay of Bengal by a sandy ridge.
• Experiences big seasonal changes in salinity in different parts of the lake.
• Algae thrive in salty areas.
• Important breeding, wintering, and staging habitat for 33 species of water birds.
• Supports 118 species of fish, some important for trade. Many people use the lake’s resources.
•  Listed on the Montreux Record in 1993 due to siltation and sedimentation issues.
• Removed from the Montreux Record in 2002 after restoration work.
• Chilika Development Authority won the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award in 2002 for its restoration efforts.

Kolleru Lake

• It is a Naturally occurring eutrophic lake.
• Acts as a flood control reservoir between the Godavari and Krishna river deltas.
• Fed by two seasonal rivers, drains, and channels.
• Supports local culture, fishing, agriculture, and related jobs.
• Provides a habitat for many resident and migratory species, including the endangered Grey Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis).
• Faces issues like flood damage during monsoons and drying out during summers due to poor management.

Bhitarkanika Mangroves

• One of the best remaining mangrove forests along the Indian coast.
•  Known for 25 years of continuous conservation efforts.
• Gahirmatha Beach is the largest Olive Ridley sea turtle breeding beach in the world, with 500,000 nests each year.
• Highest concentration of saltwater crocodiles in India, with around 700 Crocodylus porosus.
•  Important breeding and wintering ground for many resident and migratory waterbirds
•  Coastal woods provide crucial protection from deadly cyclones and tidal surges.
• Of India’s 58 mangrove species, 55 are found in Bhitarkanika, offering more variety than the Sundarbans.
• Sustainable harvesting for food, medicines, tannins, fuel wood, and building materials is common, but threatened by population pressures and encroachment.

Ashtamudi Wetland

• The Kollam district has a natural backwater there.
• Pallichal and River Kallada drain into it.

Beas Conservation Reserve

• The Beas River runs through it for 185 kilometers.
• Islands, sand bars, and braided canals are scattered across the stretch.

Bhoj Wetland

• In the city of Bhopal, there are two lakes that make up the Wetland.
• The Lower Lake and the Bhojtal are the names of the two lakes.
• This reservoir was constructed by humans.
• The sarus crane, India’s largest bird, can be found here.

Chandra Taal

• The lake is at a higher altitude. A lake called Tso Chikgma or Chandra Taal, also known as Chandra Tal or the Lake of the Moon, is located in the Lahaul area of Himachal Pradesh’s Lahul and Spiti region.
• The Chandra Taal is close to the Chandra River’s source (a source river of the Chenab).

Deepor Beel

• A permanent lake with freshwater in an old Brahmaputra river channel.
• Compared to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, which is around 35 km to the right of Guwahati, it is a few kilometers to the left of Guwahati.

East Kolkata Wetlands

• Wetlands with a variety of uses provide for Kolkata.

Harike Wetland

• It is a small reservoir located where the Sutlej and Beas rivers converge.
• Over 200,000 Anatidae (ducks, geese, swans, etc.) use it as a breeding, wintering, and staging area throughout migration.

Hokera Wetland

• Srinagar is about 10 miles away.
• The Jhelum basin’s neighboring natural perennial wetland is situated there.

Kanjli Wetland

• The Kanjli Wetland, a man-made wetland that encompasses the Kanjli Lake and is situated in the Punjabi district of Kapurthala.
• The stream is regarded as the most significant in the state from a religious perspective because it is connected to Shri Guru Nanak, the founding guru of the Sikhs.

Keoladeo National Park

• It used to be called the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.
• A collection of ten different-sized, man-made seasonal lagoons.
• The habitat for breeding, wintering, and staging migratory birds is provided by the vegetation, which is a patchwork of scrub and open grassland.

Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve

• The Site is an example of how a community-managed wetland may be used wisely to sustain local biodiversity while also providing food for people.
• There are endangered spotted pond turtles and the vulnerable common pochard present.

Loktak Lake

• In the country’s northeast, Loktak Lake is the biggest freshwater lake.
• The only floating national park in the world, Keibul Lamjao, floats above it.

Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary

• A naturally occurring freshwater lake, or “relict sea,” that is the Thar Desert’s largest natural wetland.
• An endangered Indian Wild Ass satellite population depends on the wetland for survival.

Nandur Madhameshwar

• The Nandur Madhameshwar Weir, which was built at the confluence of the Godavari and Kadwa Rivers, contributed to the development of a thriving wetland.

Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary

• Situated in Punjab’s Shiwalik foothills.
• It sustains a diverse range of vegetation and animals, including endangered species like the Indian pangolin and the Egyptian vulture.

Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary

• In 2015, the name was changed to Chandra Shekhar Azad Bird Sanctuary.

Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary

• Two oxbow lakes make up the ecosystem, which is permanently fresh water.
• The Sanctuary is a haven for some of India’s threatened vulture species, including the Indian vulture and the highly endangered white-rumped vulture.

Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary

• One of the few surviving Dry Evergreen Forests.
• Mangroves, wetlands, and dry evergreen forests can be found there.

Pong Dam Lake

• It also goes by the name Maharana Pratap Sagar.
• On the Beas River in the low Himalayan foothills on the northern fringe of the Indo-Gangetic plain, Pong Dam Lake is a water storage reservoir that was built in 1975.

Renuka Lake

• A natural wetland with inland underground karst structures and freshwater springs.

Ropar Wetland

• A man-made lake and river wetland created by building a barrage to divert water from the Sutlej River.

Rudrasagar Lake

• It is a reservoir that receives water from three surviving streams that flow into the River Gomati.
• The IUCN Red-listed Three-striped Roof Turtle finds it to be a perfect habitat.

Saman Bird Sanctuary

• An oxbow lake in the Ganges floodplain, it is seasonal.

Samaspur Bird Sanctuary

• It is an Indo-Gangetic Plains-typical perennial lowland marsh.
• The Sanctuary is home to endangered animals like the Egyptian vulture.

Sambhar Lake

• The Sambhar Salt Lake is the biggest inland saltwater lake in India.
• Tens of thousands of flamingos use it as a major wintering location.

Sandi Bird Sanctuary

• The wetland is a representative example of the Indo-Gangetic lowlands.

Sarsai Nawar Jheel

• The swamp is permanent.
• It serves as an illustration of how people and wildlife can coexist.
• The name of the location was inspired by the sizable non-migratory sarus crane.

Sasthamkotta Lake

• Located in Kerala’s Kollam district, it is the biggest freshwater lake.
• A bar of paddy field served as the River Kallada’s special replenishment mechanism.
• The breakdown of the refilling mechanism has caused the lake’s current depletion.

Surinsar-Mansar Lakes

• A freshwater composite lake in the Jhelum Basin and the semi-arid Punjab Plains.

Tsomoriri (Tso Moriri)

• Tso Moriri, also known as Lake Moriri or “Mountain Lake,” is a lake in Ladakh’s Changthang Plateau (also known as the northern plains).
• A lake that is 4,595 meters above sea level and is brackish to freshwater.

Wular Lake

• It is India’s largest freshwater lake.
• The Jhelum River feeds the lake, which was created as a result of tectonic activity.
• At the mouth of Wular Lake, there is a “navigation lock-cum-control structure” called The Tulbul Project.

Asan Conservation Reserve (ACR)

• ACR is a 444-hectare section of the Asan River that runs from its source in the Dehradun area of Uttarakhand to where it meets the Yamuna River. It is the first Ramsar Site in Uttarakhand.

Kabartal Wetland

• The Indo-Gangetic plains in the Begusarai district of Bihar are 2,620 hectares in size and are also known as Kanwar Jheel.
• Along with giving local populations chances for a living, it serves as an essential flood buffer for the area.

Soor Sarovar Lake

• The Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, which was established as a bird sanctuary in 1991, contains Keetham Lake.
• This lake may be found near Agra, Uttar Pradesh, next to the Yamuna River.

Lonar Lake

• A meteor strike between 35,000 and 50,000 years ago formed the Lonar Lake, which is located in the volcanic basalt rock of the Deccan Plateau.
• The lake is a part of the Lonar Wildlife Sanctuary, which is governed by the Melghat Tiger Reserve as a whole (MTR).

Tso Kar Wetland Complex (Tso Kar Lake)

• The Tso Kar Wetland Complex in Ladakh has been designated as a wetland of global significance and is now India’s 42nd Ramsar site. The Ladakh Union Territory is home to two Ramsar sites.
• Located in the Changthang district of Ladakh at a height of more than 4,500 meters above sea level, it is a complex of high-altitude wetlands.

Sultanpur National Park, Haryana

• The Sultanpur National Park, formerly known as the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, may be found near Sultanpur Village, off the Gurugram-Jhajjar Highway, 15 kilometers from Gurugram, Haryana, and 50 kilometers from Delhi.
• More than ten species of birds that are internationally endangered can be found here, including the severely endangered sociable lapwing, the endangered Egyptian vulture, Saker Falcon, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, and the Black-bellied Tern.
• It is essentially a bird watcher’s paradise.

Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is a man-made freshwater wetland that is situated in Haryana’s Jhajjar district.
• It plays a significant role in the natural corridor that the Sahibi River travels through as it makes its way from Rajasthan’s Aravalli Hills to the Yamuna.
• The Khaparwas Wildlife Sanctuary is on its boundary (Haryana).

Thol Lake

• It is situated in Gujarat’s Mehsana district. It is a shallow freshwater reservoir that is mostly made up of open water. It is an artificial wetland.
• It is located on the Central Asian Flyway and is home to more than 320 different kinds of birds.

Wadhvana Wetland

• It is situated in Gujarat’s Vadodara district’s Dabhoi Tehsil (Taluka).
• Water from the River Orsang pours into the lake and meets the Narmada River at Chandod.
• During the winter, this location frequently records the red-crested pochard (Netta rufina), a duck that is otherwise uncommon in Western India.

Haiderpur Wetland

• The 6908-hectare Haiderpur Wetland is situated between the Ganges and the Solani River on the Muzaffarnagar-Bijnor boundary.
• The Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary includes it.
• The man-made lake known as Haiderpur Wetland was created in that year. Birds flock here because of the biodiversity. Exotic birds travel over Mongolia’s hills to get here..

Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary

• On Gujarat state’s southern Gulf of Kutch coast, in the Jamnagar district, is the Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary (KBS), a rare wetland ecosystem.
• It belongs to Gujarat state’s Important Bird Areas (IBA).
• On one side, the Khijadiya Wildlife Sanctuary connects to the Marine National Park, and on the other, the Dhunvav River discharges fresh water into it..

Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary

• The Bakhira Bird Sanctuary is located in the Sant Kabir Nagar area of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and is the largest natural flood plain wetland in India.
• The sanctuary opened its doors in 1980. It is located 44 kilometers to the west of Gorakhpur.
• The Bakhira Tal, also known as the Bakhira Bird Sanctuary, is a wetland that connects two rivers and is situated to the west of the Rapti riverbed.

Karikili Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)

• Cormorants, egrets, grey herons, open-billed storks, darters, spoonbills, white ibis, night herons, grebes, and grey pelicans are among the many species that call the sanctuary, which spans a five-kilometer-wide belt, home.

Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest (Tamil Nadu)

• The marsh drains a 250 square kilometer area that includes 65 wetlands, making it one of the last remaining natural wetlands.
• One of the few natural coastal aquatic ecosystems in India that is classified as a wetland is the Pallikaranai Marsh.

Pichavaram Mangrove (Tamil Nadu)

• One of the nations’s last remaining mangrove forests.
• It has an island in a wide body of water that is covered with mangrove swamps..

Sakhya Sagar (Madhya Pradesh)

• Sakhya Sagar, which was formed in 1918 from the Manier River, is close to Madhav National Park.

Pala Wetland in Mizoram (Mizoram)

• A variety of animals, birds, and reptiles call it home.
• Because of its location, which is part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, it is abundant in plant and animal species.

Koothankulam Bird Sanctuary

• It borders the little village of Koonthankulam in the Tamil Nadu district of Tirunelveli’s Nanguneri Taluk.
• On the Central Asian Flyway, it is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). The largest breeding water bird reserve in South India is located here.

Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve

• The Gulf of Mannar, with an average depth of 5.8 metres, is a sizable shallow harbour that is a part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean. It is located in the Coromandel Coast region, halfway between Sri Lanka’s west coast and India’s southeast tip.
• The Gulf of Mannar is one of India’s mainland’s biologically richest coastline areas. It is South and Southeast Asia’s first Marine Biosphere Reserve..

Vembannur Wetland Complex

• The Vembannur Wetland Complex is a man-made inland tank that serves as peninsular India’s southernmost point.
• This wetland is a component of the Bird Life International Data Zone since it is a part of the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area.

Vellode Bird Sanctuary

• The 80 hectare Vellode Birds Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary that can be found in Tamil Nadu’s Erode District.
• Due to the plentiful food sources from nearby agricultural fields and other aquatic species, this man-made tank is an excellent habitat for birds.

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

• The 30-hectare Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a protected area in the Tamil Nadu state of India. It is situated in the Madurantakam Taluk of the Chengalpattu District.
• On National Highway 45, the sanctuary is around 75 kilometres from Chennai.

Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary

• In the Tamil Nadu district of Tiruvarur, there is a protected area called Udayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary.
• Purple moorhens and openbill storks can be seen in considerable numbers in the sanctuary during the months of February and March.
• The sanctuary is made up of man-built irrigation tanks that are connected by an old network of canals and fed by the Mettur dam through the Koraiyar canal.

Satkosia Gorge (Odisha)

• The Mahanadi River formed the Satkosia Gorge in eastern Odisha.
• The Satkosia Tiger Reserve, a United Nations-protected territory, contains the gorge.

Nanda Lake (Goa)

• The Nanda Lake is made up of sporadic freshwater marshes that are connected to the Zuari River’s primary tributary by a sluice gate that, when closed, causes the marshes to flood.
• Several different species of migratory waterbirds live in this marsh, along with numerous other significant flora and animals.

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary (Karnataka)

• The Southern Deccan Plateau is made up of gently rolling plains that are traversed by a number of the major rivers that originate in the Western Ghats mountain range and flow eastward to the Bay of Bengal.
• The Site is a riverine wetland that is ecologically significant and rich in plant and animal species.

Sirpur Wetland (Madhya Pradesh)

• Sirpur Wetland is a man-made wetland that has stabilised and developed characteristics that are nearly natural during the past 200 years.
• On the Indore-Dhar Road in Indore is Sirpur Lake.
• Why the Site is a shallow, alkaline, nutrient-rich lake that overflows to a maximum depth of two metres during the monsoon season..

Tampara Lake

• Located in the Ganjam district, Tampara Lake is one of the most well-known freshwater lakes in the State of Odisha.
• The British called the depression on the earth “Tamp,” and the locals later called it “Tampra” as rainfall from the catchment flow gradually filled it.

Hirakud Reservoir

• Hirakud Reservoir, the biggest earthen dam in Odisha, began operating in 1957.
• It provides water for generating about 300 MW of electricity and irrigating 436,000 acres of a cultural command area..

Ansupa Lake 

• The largest freshwater lake in Odisha, Ansupa Lake is located in the Cuttack district’s Banki subdistrict and has long been renowned for its scenic beauty, biodiversity, and natural riches.
• River Mahanadi created an oxbow lake in the marsh.

Yashwant Sagar

• Yashwant Sagar is one of Madhya Pradesh’s most significant birding locations as well as one of the Important Bird Areas (IBA) in the Indore region.
• Currently, it is mostly used to deliver water to the city of Indore and is also employed commercially for fish farming.

Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary

• The Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu is home to the Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, sometimes referred to as “Chitrangudi Kanmoli” locally.
• The wetland has been declared a protected area since 1989 and is governed by the Ramanathapuram division of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department..

Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex

•  Suchindrum a part of the Suchindrum-Theroor Manakudi Conservation Reserve is the Theroor Wetland Complex.
• It is situated at the southernmost point of the migratory bird flyway in Central Asia and has been designated an Important Bird Area.
• It was built so that birds may build nests there, and thousands of birds visit it every year.

Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary

• The 112.638-hectare Vaduvur bird sanctuary serves as a big artificial irrigation tank as well as a haven for migrating birds since it offers a conducive environment for food, refuge, and nesting grounds.

Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary

• Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary was established in 1989 and is a protected area close to the Mudukulathur Ramanathapuram District in Tamil Nadu, India.
• Between October and February, migrating waterbirds such as painted storks, white ibis, black ibis, tiny egrets, and great egrets arrive to breed at this location, making it noteworthy as a nesting place for various migratory heron species that roost there.

Thane Creek

• The Indian state of Maharashtra is home to Thane Creek.
• The Ulhas River is the greatest of the creek’s several fresh water sources, which also include other drainage channels from various suburban neighbourhoods of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane.

Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve

• Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve This wetland, which is in the Baramulla district, is an important flood absorption basin, biodiversity conservation site, ecotourism destination, and source of livelihood security for the surrounding community.

Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve

• The Shallabug Wetland Conservation Reserve is situated in J’&K’s UT of Srinagar.
• The wetland features enormous reedbeds of Phragmites communis and Typha angustata, and rich growth of Nymphaea candida and N. stellata on open water. Between September and March, large portions of the wetland dry up.

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