Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Satkosia Gorge has been included among the 10 more wetlands in India designated as Ramsar sites.
The 10 new sites include six sites in Tamil Nadu and one each in Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
With the addition of the 10 more sites India has a total of 64 Ramsar sites covering an area of 12,50,361 ha in the country.
Designation of these sites would help in conservation and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources.
India is one of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India signed it on 1st Feb 1982. So far 64 wetlands covering an area of 12,50,361 ha have been designated as Ramsar Sites of International Importance from India, till date.
10 wetlands designated as Ramsar sites
| S.No | Name of wetland | Area in Ha | State | Date of Designation | Page No. |
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Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary | 72.04 | Tamil Nadu | 08-11-2021 | 2-3 |
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Satkosia Gorge | 98196.72 | Odisha | 12-10-2021 | 4-5 |
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Nanda Lake | 42.01 | Goa | 08-06-2022 | 6-7 |
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Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve | 52671.88 | Tamil Nadu | 08-04-2022 | 8-9 |
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|
Ranganathituu BS | 517.70 | Karnataka | 15-02-2022 | 10-11 |
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Vembannur Wetland Complex | 19.75 | Tamil Nadu | 08-04-2022 | 12-13 |
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Vellode Bird Sanctuary | 77.19 | Tamil Nadu | 08-04-2022 | 14-15 |
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Sirpur wetland | 161 | Madhya Pradesh | 07-01-2022 | 16-17 |
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Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary | 40.35 | Tamil Nadu | 08-04-2022 | 18-19 |
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Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary | 43.77 | Tamil Nadu | 08-04-2022 | 20-21 |
| Total area of 10 wetlands | 1,51,842.41 | ||||
| TOTAL area of 64 Ramsar Sites in India (After designation of 10 more sites as above) | 12,50,361 |
Satkosia spreads along the magnificent gorge over the mighty river Mahanadi in Odisha.
Established in 1976 as a wildlife sanctuary, Satkosia supports a rich ecosystem, representing a diverse population of floral and faunal species.
Satkosia is the meeting point of two biogeographic regions of India; the Deccan Peninsula and the Eastern Ghats, contributing to immense biodiversity.
Satkosia Gorge wetland is a mosaic of marshes and evergreen forests.
The forests of these catchments play a vital role in the prevention of the gorge’s siltation.
It also helps in maintaining a specific desirable depth of water crucial for the endangered gharial population and spawning of commercially important carps species.
Chilika lake and Bhitarkanika mangroves are the other designated Ramsar sites in Odisha.
