Two of Bihar’s wetlands have been added to the global list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, taking the total number of highly recognised waterlogged ecosystems in the country to 82, a top official said.
“The Nagi and Nakti bird sanctuaries, both located in Bihar’s Jamui district, are now recognised 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,” the Secretary of the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (DEFCC) of Bihar, Bandana Preyashi, posted on X.
Both sites were declared as Wetlands of International importance on the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5.
“This will help in our bird conservation efforts,” Preyashi wrote.
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, also known as The Convention on Wetlands, an international environmental treaty signed on 2 February 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. They include globally threatened species, including 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, highlighting its importance 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 enabled 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 said.
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, it added.
