Patna Bird Sanctuary & Chhari-Dhand Conservation Reserve Added to Ramsar List

Wetlands in Kutch (Gujarat) and Etah (Uttar Pradesh) have been recognised as Ramsar Sites, bringing them under a global framework for wetland conservation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the inclusion of the Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah and Chhari-Dhand Conservation Reserve in Kutch as wetlands of international importance.

With the latest additions, India now has 98 Ramsar Sites, reflecting the country’s growing emphasis on wetland conservation.

Patna Bird Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh

• Located in Etah district, Patna Bird Sanctuary is the latest Ramsar site in Uttar Pradesh, taking the state’s total to 11, second only to Tamil Nadu (20).
• Also known as Patna Vihar Bird Sanctuary, it was established in 1991 and spreads over 108 hectares, making it the smallest bird sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh.
• The wetland area covers about 1 sq. km.
• Nearly 2 lakh birds belonging to around 300 species are reported to frequent the sanctuary annually.

Chhari-Dhand Conservation Reserve, Gujarat

• Chhari-Dhand is located on the edge of the Banni grasslands and the marshy salt flats of the Rann of Kutch in Kutch district.
• It becomes Gujarat’s fifth Ramsar site, after Nal Sarovar, Thol, Khijdia and Vadhwana.
• The term Chhari means saline, while Dhand refers to a shallow lake.
• Declared Gujarat’s first Conservation Reserve in 2008, the site supports rich avian diversity, with over 250 bird species recorded.

About Ramsar Sites

Ramsar Sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention (1971) for their role in conserving biodiversity, especially as habitats for waterfowl. These include marshes, fens, lakes and other wetland ecosystems, which are to be managed sustainably to maintain their ecological character.

India became a signatory to the Ramsar Convention on 1 February 1982.