News Excerpt:

India increases its tally of Ramsar sites to 80 by adding five more wetlands to the list on the eve of World Wetlands Day 2024.

About the newly added sites:

• With the addition of these five wetlands to the List of Wetlands of International Importance, the total area covered under Ramsar sites is now 1.33 million ha, an increase of 5,523.87 ha from the existing area (1.327 million ha).
• Tamil Nadu continues to have the maximum number of Ramsar Sites (16 sites), followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).
• Five newly added sites are -

1. Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve:

• It is a humanmade village irrigation tank built centuries back adjoining the Ankasamudra village.
• It is an ecologically important wetland, rich in biodiversity, comprising many species of plants, mammals, reptiles, birds, fishes, frogs, butterflies and odonates.
• Over 30,000 waterbirds nest and roost at this wetland, which also supports more than 1% of the biogeographic population of Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) and Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus).

2. Aghanashini Estuary:

• It is formed at the confluence of the Aghanashini River with the Arabian Sea.
• The brackish water of the Estuary provides diverse ecosystem services, including flood and erosion risk mitigation, biodiversity conservation and livelihood support.
• The wetland also provides livelihoods to 6000-7500 families by supporting fishing, agriculture, collection of edible bivalves and crabs, shrimp aquaculture, traditional fish farming in the estuarine rice fields (locally known as Gazni rice fields), bivalve shell collection and salt production.
• Additionally, the mangroves bordering the estuary help to protect the shores against storms and cyclones.
• The estuary regularly supports over 43,000 counts of over 66 waterbird species and over 1% of the biogeographic population of 15 waterbird species (which includes river tern, oriental darter, lesser black-backed gull, woolly-necked stork, Eurasian oystercatcher and others).

3. Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve:

• It is a human-made wetland constructed to store rainwater for irrigation purposes.
• The wetland is a designated Important Bird Area (IBA) and is also listed as a priority area for conservation in India.
• It is home to over 166 species of birds, of which 130 are migratory. Nearly 8,000 birds visit the site during winter.
• Magadi Kere is also one of the largest wintering grounds for the Bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) in Southern India.
• The wetland harbours two vulnerable species, namely -
• Common pochard (Aythya ferina)
• River tern (Sterna aurantia)
• It also harbours four near-threatened species, namely -
• Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)
• Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)
• Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus)
• Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala).

4. Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary:

• It is one of the largest inland wetlands of Tamil Nadu and is a significant source of groundwater recharge for the area.
• The villagers utilise water from the wetland for cultivating agricultural crops such as paddy, sugar cane, cotton, corn, and split red gram.
• Karaivetti has one of the largest congregations of waterbirds in the State of Tamil Nadu.
• About 198 species of birds have been recorded here; some of the important visitors are the Bar-headed Goose, Pin-tailed duck, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Eurasian Wigeon, Common teal and Cotton teal.

5. Longwood Shola Reserve Forest:

• Its name derives from the Tamil word "Solai", meaning a ‘tropical rain forest’.

• The ‘Sholas’ are found in the upper reaches of the Nilgiris, Anamalais, Palni hills, Kalakadu, Mundanthurai and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.

• These forested wetlands serve as habitats for the globally endangered Black-chinned Nilgiri Laughing thrush (Strophocincla cachinnans), Nilgiri Blue Robin (Myiomela major), and vulnerable Nilgiri Wood-pigeon (Columba elphinstonii).

• As many as 14 out of 26 endemic bird species of the Western Ghats are found in these wetlands.

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