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List of RAMSAR Sites in India


The Ramsar Convention, also called Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, was held in 1971 in the city of Ramsar in Iran for conserving and sustainable use of wetlands and acknowledging the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their cultural, scientific, economic and recreational importance. Every year, 2nd of February is celebrated as World Wetlands Day. By declaring and establishing Wetland Sites, National Parks, Biosphere Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries, Government is trying to conserve the nature as much as possible.



RAMSAR Wetland Sites in India

Presently, there are 85 RAMASAR sites in India. In 1981, Chilika Lake in Odisha became the first RAMSAR site in India that is designated under the Ramsar Convention and it is also the largest Ramsar Site in india. The smallest Ramsar Site in India is Renuka Wetland in Himachal P radesh.

The newly added 11 Ramsar sites in India, which were added on 13th August 2022, are

  1. Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu

  2. Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex, Tamil Nadu

  3. Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu

  4. Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu

  5. Tampara Lake, Odisha

  6. Hirakud Reservoir, Odisha

  7. Ansupa Lake, Odisha

  8. Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve, Jammu and Kashmir

  9. Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve, Jammu and Kashmir

  10. Yashwant Sagar, Madhya Pradesh

  11. Thane Creek, Maharashtra.

India established the Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for promoting sustainable and integrated management of marine and coastal areas in India.


Presently, Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan and Loktak Lake in Manipur are the two wetlands in India that are in the Montreux record. The Montreux Record is a register of RAMASAR sites, where ecological changes have happened, are happening, or are likely to happen because of pollution, technological developments or other human interference.

List of RAMSAR Sites

The following list shows total RAMSAR sites in India. The states and the Union Territories in India and their list of RAMSAR Sites are arranged from North to South.


    Sl. No. RAMSAR Site Name Location
    1 Tso Kar Wetland Complex Ladakh
    2 Tso Moriri Lake Ladakh
    3 Wular Lake Jammu & Kashmir
    4 Hokera Wetland Jammu & Kashmir
    5 Surinsar and Mansar Lakes Jammu & Kashmir
    6 Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve Jammu & Kashmir
    7 Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve Jammu & Kashmir
    8 Chandertal Wetland Himachal Pradesh
    9 Pong Dam Lake Himachal Pradesh
    10 Renuka Wetland Himachal Pradesh
    11 Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve Punjab
    12 Kanjli Wetland Punjab
    13 Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary Punjab
    14 Ropar Lake Punjab
    15 Beas Conservation Reserve Punjab
    16 Harike Wetland Punjab
    17 Asan Barrage Uttarakhand
    18 Sultanpur National Park Haryana
    19 Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary Haryana
    20 Upper Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch) Uttar Pradesh
    21 Sur Sarovar Uttar Pradesh
    22 Sandi Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
    23 Saman Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
    24 Sarsai Nawar Jheel Uttar Pradesh
    25 Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
    26 Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
    27 Samaspur Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
    28 Haiderpur Wetland Uttar Pradesh
    29 Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
    30 Keoladeo Ghana National Park Rajasthan
    31 Sambhar Lake Rajasthan
    32 Deepor Beel Assam
    33 East Kolkata Wetlands West Bengal
    34 Sunderbans Wetland West Bengal
    35 Kanwar Taal or Kabar Taal Lake Bihar
    36 Nagi Bird Sanctuary Bihar
    37 Nakti Bird Sanctuary Bihar
    38 Bhoj Wetlands Madhya Pradesh
    39 Tawa Reservoir Madhya Pradesh
    40 Sakhya Sagar Madhya Pradesh
    41 Sirpur Wetland Madhya Pradesh
    42 Yashwant Sagar Madhya Pradesh
    43 Loktak Lake Manipur
    44 Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary Gujarat
    45 Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary Gujarat
    46 Wadhvana Wetland Gujarat
    47 Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary Gujarat
    48 Rudrasagar Lake Tripura
    49 Pala Wetland Mizoram
    50 Bhitarkanika Mangroves Odisha
    51 Chilika Lake Odisha
    52 Satkosia Gorge Odisha
    53 Tampara Lake Odisha
    54 Hirakud Reservoir Odisha
    55 Ansupa Lake Odisha
    56 Nandur Madhameshwar Wetland Maharashtra
    57 Lonar Lake Maharashtra
    58 Thane Creek Maharashtra
    59 Kolleru Lake Andhra Pradesh
    60 Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary Karnataka
    61 Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve Karnataka
    62 Aghanashini Estuary Karnataka
    63 Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve Karnataka
    64 Nanda Lake Goa
    65 Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    66 Karikili Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    67 Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest Tamil Nadu
    68 Pichavaram Mangrove Tamil Nadu
    69 Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    70 Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    71 Vellode Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    72 Vembannur Wetland Complex Tamil Nadu
    73 Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu
    74 Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    75 Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex Tamil Nadu
    76 Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    77 Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    78 Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    79 Karaivetti Bird sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    80 Longwood Shola Reserve Forest Tamil Nadu
    81 Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    82 Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
    83 Vembanad Kol Wetland Kerala
    84 Sasthamkotta Lake Kerala
    85 Ashtamudi Wetland Kerala

Quiz

  1. Which of the following sites is the first RAMSAR site in India?

    1. Chilika Lake

    2. Harike Wetland

    3. Keoladeo National Park

    4. Wular Lake

    Answer

    Ans: A


  2. World Wetlands Day is celebrated on:

    1. 5th, June

    2. 21st, March

    3. 27th, September

    4. 2nd, February

    Answer

    Ans: D