The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Patna): Two of Bihar’s wetlands, the Nagi and Nakti bird sanctuaries, have been added to the global list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. This inclusion raises the total number of Ramsar sites in India to 82, as announced by a top official.
“The Nagi and Nakti bird sanctuaries, both located in Bihar’s Jamui district, are now recognized under the Ramsar Convention. These two new wetlands are man-made reservoirs situated in the Jhajha forest range of Jamui. Their catchments feature dry deciduous forests surrounded by hills,” stated Bandana Preyashi, Secretary of the Department of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (DEFCC) of Bihar, on X.
Both sites were declared Wetlands of International Importance on World Environment Day, June 5. “This will help in our bird conservation efforts,” Preyashi added.
A Ramsar site is a wetland designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an international environmental treaty signed on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran, under the auspices of UNESCO.
“The Nakti Bird Sanctuary was developed primarily for irrigation through the construction of Nakti Dam. Since the dam’s construction, the wetland and its surrounding area have provided habitat for over 150 species of birds, mammals, fish, aquatic plants, reptiles, and amphibians. These include globally threatened species, such as the endangered Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) and a vulnerable native catfish (Wallago attu),” a statement issued by the DEFCC said on Thursday.
In 1984, the wetland was designated as a Bird Sanctuary, emphasizing its significance as a wintering habitat for several migratory species, with over 20,000 birds congregating during winter months. This includes one of the largest congregations of red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) on the Indo-Gangetic plain.
“The Nagi Bird Sanctuary was created following the damming of the Nagi River, which led to the gradual formation of water bodies with clear water and aquatic vegetation. Due to its importance for migratory bird species, the site was recognized locally as a Bird Sanctuary in 1984 and internationally as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLife International,” the statement continued.
Overall, the wetland and its fringes provide habitat for over 75 bird species, 33 fish, and 12 aquatic plants. Notably, the site hosts one of the largest congregations of bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) on the Indo-Gangetic plain.