Two new Ramsar sites

2020 OCT 27

Preliminary   > Environment and Ecology   >   Protected Area Networks   >   International conventions & protocols

Why in news?

  • Two new Ramsar sites Kabartal Wetland and Asan Conservation Reserve has been created.
  • With this India now has 39 wetlands under the RAMSAR convention

About Kabartal Wetland:

  • Kabartal Wetland covers 2,620 hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains in northern Bihar State.
  • It is also known as Kanwar Jheel.
  • The Site is one of 18 wetlands within an extensive floodplain complex; it floods during the monsoon season to a depth of 1.5 metres.
  • During the dry season, areas of marshland dry out and are used for agriculture.
  • Significant biodiversity is present, with 165 plant species and 394 animal species recorded, including 221 bird species.
  • Five critically endangered species inhabit the site, including three vultures and two waterbirds
    • The red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)
    • White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) 
    • Indian vulture (Gyps indicus)
    • the sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)
    • Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri).

About Asan Conservation Reserve:

  • The Asan Conservation Reserve is a 444-hectare stretch of the Asan River running down to its confluence with the Yamuna River in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand.
  • The damming of the River by the Asan Barrage in 1967 resulted in siltation above the dam wall, which helped to create some of the Site’s bird-friendly habitats.
  • These habitats support 330 species of birds including the critically endangered
    • red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)
    • white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis)
    • Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri).
  •  49 fish species, one of these being the endangered Putitor mahseer is present at the site.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Which of the following RAMSAR sites are located in Uttar Pradesh:
1.Nandhur Madhameshwar
2.Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary
3.Kanjili wetland
4.Saman Bird Sancturary
Select the correct answer using the code given below: 
(a)1 and 2 only
(b)2 and 4 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)1,3 and 4 only

Answer to prelims question