India Ranks 4th Globally with 80 Ramsar Sites: New Delhi India is renowned for its remarkable natural landscapes, encompassing mountains, rivers, hills, valleys, and wetlands. These features not only satisfy the needs of human beings but also create ideal habitats for a multitude of endangered bird and animal species. India has recently achieved a significant milestone in its endeavors to preserve natural habitats and fauna. India has recently added five additional wetland regions to its list of Ramsar sites, bringing the total number to eighty. In 2022, eleven more wetlands were designated as Ramsar sites, increasing the total to 75. We should examine the number of Ramsar sites in each state.
Agra green activists demand scrapping of road plan near Ramsar site
A comprehensive statewide inventory of Ramsar Sites
Tamil Nadu is the state with the greatest quantity of Ramsar Sites, possessing a total of sixteen. Uttar Pradesh follows with ten, while Odisha and Punjab each have six.
Name of the state and Union Territories | Number of Ramsar Sites | Names of Ramsar Sites |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | 1 | Kolleru Lake |
| Assam | 1 | Deepor Beel |
| Bihar | 1 | Kanwar Lake |
| Goa | 1 | Nanda Lake |
| Gujarat | 4 | Khijadiya, Thol Lake, Nalsarovar, and Wadhvana Wetland |
| Haryana | 2 | Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, Sultanpur National Park, |
| Himachal Pradesh | 3 | Chandra Taal, Renuka Lake, Pong Dam Lake, |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 5 | Hokersar Wetland, Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve, Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve, Wular Lake, and Surinsar-Mansar Lakes |
| Karnataka | 4 | Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Aghanashini Estuary, Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve, and Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve |
| Kerala | 3 | Ashtamudi Wetland, Vembanad-Kol Wetland, and Sasthamkotta Lake |
| Ladakh | 2 | Tso Kar, Tsomoriri Lake |
| Madhya Pradesh | 4 | Bhoj Wetland, Sirpur Lake, Sakhya Sagar, and Yashwant Sagar |
| Maharashtra | 3 | Lonar Lake, Thane Creek, Nandur Madhameshwar, |
| Manipur | 1 | Loktak Lake |
| Mizoram | 1 | Pala Wetland |
| Odisha | 6 | Ansupa Lake, Chilika Lake, Bhitarkanika Mangroves,Hirakud Reservoir, Tampara Lake, Satkosia Gorge, |
| Punjab | 6 | Beas Conservation Reserve, Kanjli Wetland, Harike Wetland, Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve, Ropar Wetland, and Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Rajasthan | 2 | Keoladeo National Park, Sambhar Lake |
| Tamil Nadu | 16 | Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary, Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, Pichavaram Mangrove, Pallikarnai Marsh Reserve Forest, Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary, Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex, Vadavur Bird Sanctuary, Vellode Bird Sanctuary, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Vembannur Wetland Complex, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, Longwood Shola Reserve Forest |
| Tripura | 1 | Rudrasagar Lake |
| Uttar Pradesh | 10 | Bakhira Sanctuary, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, Haiderpur Wetland, Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary, Saman Bird Sanctuary, Samaspur Bird Sanctuary, Upper Ganga RiverSarsai Nawar Jheel, Sandi Bird Sanctuary, Sur Sarovar, |
| Uttarakhand | 1 | Asan Barrage |
| West Bengal | 2 | Sundarban Wetland, East Kolkata Wetlands |
Recent Ramsar site additions in India
For World Wetlands Day 2024, India has designated five wetland regions as Ramsar Sites. This celebration takes place on February 2. The recently designated wetland areas are centrally located in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
| States of Ramsar Sites | Names of Ramsar Sites |
| Karnataka | Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary, Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve |
| Tamil Nadu | Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, Longwood Shola Reserve Forest |
Number of Ramsar Sites in country increased nearly three times since 2014: PM Modi
