Ramsar Sites In India

Wetlands of International Importance is known as Ramsar Sites. It was established in 1971 by UNESCO. Then it came into force in 1975. The total number of Ramsar sites in India is 42.

The Ramsar Sites in India are,

Asan Barrage:

This site is located in Uttarakhand. It is the first ramsar site in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located on the stretch of the Asan River that is confluence with the River Yamuna. This site is well known for critically endangered red-headed vulture, white-rumped vulture and Baer’s pochard.

Ashtamudi Wetland:

This site is located in Kerala. It is a natural backwater in Kollam district. It covers an area about 614 km. It forms an estuary with Arabian Sea at Neendakara, is a famous fishing harbour in Kerala.

Beas Conservation Reserve:

This site is located in Punjab. It covers an area about 64 km. It lies in the stretch of the Beas River. This site is known for the endangered Indus river dolphin.

Bhitarkanika Mangroves:

This site is located in Odisha. It covers an area about 650 km. It is famous for saltwater crocodiles. This site is a part of Wildlife Sanctuary.

Bhoj Wetlands:

This site is located in Madhya Pradesh. It covers an area about 32 km. It is called as humanmade reservoir. It is famous for Sarus Crane, the largest bird of India.

Chandra Taal:

This site is located in Himachal Pradesh. It covers an area about 49 km. It is a Lake, located at high altitude.

Chilika Lake:

This site is located in Odisha. It covers an area about 1165 km. It is the largest Ramsar Site in India. It is the largest lagoon in India. It is known for endangered Irrawaddy dolphin.

Deepor Beel:

This site is located in Assam. It covers an area about 40 km. This site is situated in a former channel of Brahmaputra river.

East Kolkata Wetlands:

This site is located in West Bengal. It covers an area about 125 km. This site is used for multiple use.

Harike Wetlands:

This site is located in Punjab. It covers an area about 41 km. It is located at the confluence of Beas river and Sutlej river.

Hokera Wetland:

This site is located in Jammu and Kashmir. It covers an area about 13.75 km. It is located at the basin of Jhelum river.

Kanjli Wetland:

This site is located in Punjab. It covers an area about 1.83 km. This site is associated with Sikhs religion.

Kanwar lake or kabal lake or Kabartal:

This site is located in Bihar. It is the first ramsar site in the state of Bihar. Kabartal is Asia’s largest freshwater oxbow lake. Indian vulture, red-headed vulture and white-rumped vulture. Also famous for water birds sociable lapwing and baer’s pochard.

Keoladeo National Park:

This site is located in Rajasthan. It covers an area about 28.73 km. Seasonal lagoons are located here.

Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve:

This site is located in Punjab. It covers an area about 34 km. It provides food for people and supports local biodiversity.

Kolleru Lake:

This site is located in Andhra Pradesh. It covers an area about 901 km. It is situated at the inbetween basin of river Godavari and Krishna.

Loktak Lake:

This site is located in Manipur. It covers an area about 266 km. Worlds only floating National Park Keibul Lamjao is present in it.

Lonar Lake:

This site is located in Buldhana district, Maharashtra. It covers an area about 3.65 km. Lonar Wildlife Sanctuary also present in it. It is famous for Asian woollyneck, common pochard and Iconic grey wolf..

Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary:

This site is located in Gujarat. It covers an area about 123 km. It is the largest natural wetland in the Thar desert. It is famous for endangered Indian Wild Ass.

Nandur Madhameshwar:

This site is located in Maharashtra. It covers an area about 14 km. It is located at the confluence of the Godavari and Kadwa River.

Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary:

This site is located in Punjab. It covers an area about 1 km. It is famous for endangered Indian pangolin and Egyptian vulture.

Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary:

This site is located in Uttar Pradesh. It covers an area about 2 km. It is now renamed as Chandra Shekhar Azad Bird Sanctuary.

Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary:

This site is located in Uttar Pradesh. It covers an area about 7 km. In this site two oxbow lakes are present. It is known for endangered white-rumped vulture and Indian vulture.

Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary:

This site is located in Tamil Nadu. It covers an area about 385 km. In this site Dry Evergreen Forests, Mangrove & Wetlands are present.

Pong Dam Lake:

This site is located in Himachal Pradesh. It covers an area about 156.62 km. The another name for this lake is Maharana Pratap Sagar.

Renuka Lake:

This site is located in Himachal Pradesh. It covers an area about 0.2 km. It is the smallest wetland in India. It is a natural wetland.

Ropar Wetland:

This site is located in Punjab. It covers an area about 13.65 km. It is a humanmade because it is formed from sutlej river by construction.

Rudrasagar Lake:

This site is located in Tripura. It covers an area about 2.4 km. It is formed by three perennial streams.

Saman Bird Sanctuary:

This site is located in Uttar Pradesh. It covers an area about 5 km. It is a seasonal oxbow lake.

Samaspur Bird Sanctuary:

This site is located in Uttar Pradesh. It covers an area about 8 km. It is known for the endangered Egyptian vulture.

Sambhar Lake:

This site is located in Rajasthan. It covers an area about 240 km. This lake is the Largest inland saltwater lake in India.

Sandi Bird Sanctuary:

This site is located in Uttar Pradesh. It covers an area about 3 km.

Sarsai Nawar Jheel:

This site is located in Uttar Pradesh. It covers an area about 2 km. This site is a co-habitation of humans and wildlife.

Sasthamkotta Lake:

This site is located in Kollam, Kerala. It covers an area about 3.73 km. It is the largest freshwater lake in Kerala.

Sundarban Wetland:

This site is located in West Bengal. It covers an area about 4230 km. It is the largest Ramsar site in India. It is located in the largest mangrove forest in the world.

Surinsar-Mansar Lakes:

This site is located in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It covers an area about 3.5 km. It is located in the Jhelum basin.

Sur Sarovar:

This site is located in the Agra district, Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as Keetham Lake. It covers an area about 4.31 km. Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary also present here. This site is a human-made reservoir. It is known for Vulnerable greater spotted eagle , Sarus crane and Catfish Wallago attu.

Tso Kar Wetland:

This site is located in the Leh District, Union Territory of Ladakh. It covers an area about 95.77 km. Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary also located here. It is known for endangered saker falcon , Asiatic wild dog or dhole and the vulnerable snow leopard .

Tsomoriri :

This site is located in the Union Territory of Ladakh. It covers an area about 120 km. It is known for most endangered cranes, that is Black-necked crane.

Upper Ganga River:

This site is located in the Uttar Pradesh. It covers an area about 265.9 km. It is known for Ganges River Dolphin and Gharial crocodile.

Vembanad-Kol Wetland:

This site is located in the Kerala. It covers an area about 1512.5 km. It is the second largest Ramsar site in India after Sundarbans.

Wular Lake:

This site is located in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It covers an area about 189 km. Wular lake is the largest freshwater lake in India.