New Ramsar Sites of India

 

1. Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve

The 98.76ha (244.04 acre) Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve is a man-made village irrigation tank that was constructed centuries ago and is located next to the Ankasamudra community. With around 210 plant species, 8 animal species, 25 reptile species, 240 bird species, 41 fish species, 3 frog species, 27 butterfly species, and 32 odonate species, it is an ecologically significant wetland with great biodiversity. This marsh is home to around 30,000 waterbirds who breed and roost there, as well as about 1% of the biogeographic population of Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) and Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala).

2. Aghanashini Estuary 

At the point where the Aghanashini River meets the Arabian Sea, the 4801 hectares Aghanashini Estuary is created. The Estuary's brackish water offers a variety of ecological services, such as reducing the danger of flooding and erosion, preserving biodiversity, and sustaining livelihoods. Additionally, the wetland supports 6000–7500 households through agriculture, bivalve shell collecting, shrimp aquaculture, fishing, traditional fish farming in the estuary rice fields (known locally as Gazni rice fields), and the harvest of edible bivalves and crabs. Furthermore, the mangroves that round the estuary aid in shielding the coastline from cyclones and hurricanes. More than 1% of the biogeographic population of 15 waterbird species—including river terns, oriental darters, lesser black-backed gulls, woolly-necked storks, Eurasian oystercatchers, and others—as well as over 43,000 counts of over 66 species of waterbirds are consistently supported by the estuary.

 

 

3. Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve

The almost 50-hectare Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve is an artificial wetland created by humans to collect and store rainfall for use in irrigation. More than 166 bird species, 130 of which are migratory, call it home. The wetland is home to four near-threatened species: Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster), Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus), Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus), and Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala). Two vulnerable species are found in the wetland: Common pochard (Aythya ferina) and River tern (Sterna aurantia). In the winter, some 8,000 birds make the place their home. Additionally, one of Southern India's biggest Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) wintering grounds is Magadi Kere.  The wetland is categorized as a priority area for conservation in India and is recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA).

4. Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary

One of Tamil Nadu's largest inland wetlands, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary covers 453.72 hectares and is an important source of groundwater recharge for the surrounding area. The people who live there use the wetland's water to grow crops including split red gram, cotton, sugar cane, corn, and rice. In the State of Tamil Nadu, Karaivetti is home to one of the biggest concentrations of waterbirds. A total of 198 bird species have been observed in this area, with the Bar-headed Goose, Pin-tailed Duck, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Eurasian Wigeon, Common teal, and Cotton teal among the more notable visits.

5. Longwood Shola Reserve Forest

The term "Solai" in Tamil, which meaning "tropical rain forest," is the source of the name of the Longwood Shola Reserve Forest. The upper portions of the Nilgiris, Anamalais, Palni hills, Kalakadu, Mundanthurai, and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu are home to the "Sholas." The internationally endangered Black-chinned Nilgiri Laughing thrush (Strophocincla cachinnans), the fragile Nilgiri Wood-pigeon (Columba elphinstonii), and the Nilgiri Blue Robin (Myiomela major) all call these wooded wetlands home. These wetlands are home to up to 14 of the 26 unique bird species of the Western Ghats.

 

RAMSAR SITE	STATE
Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve	Karnataka
Aghanashini Estuary	Karnataka
Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve	Karnataka
Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu
Longwood Shola Reserve	Tamil Nadu