Two wetlands of Bihar, Gokul Reservoir in Buxar district and Udaipur Lake in West Champaran district, have been included in the global list of Ramsar Convention sites, bringing the total number of such wetlands in Bihar to five.
- Two more wetlands of India - both in Bihar - have been included in the global list of Ramsar Convention sites as wetlands of international importance. The two newly added sites are Gokul Reservoir in Buxar district and Udaipur Lake in West Champaran district, bringing the total number of such wetlands in Bihar to five.
- With this, the total number of such sites in India has reached 93, which places the country at the top in Asia in terms of the total number of Ramsar sites and third in the world after the UK (176) and Mexico (144).
- The number of Indian sites on the list has increased from 26 in 2012 to 93 in 2025, spread over 13,60,718 hectares, of which 51 wetlands have been added since 2020. Globally, there are 2,544 Ramsar sites.
Definition of Wetland
- Wetlands are land areas that remain covered with water temporarily/seasonally or permanently. Such areas play an important role in the hydrological cycle and in flood control, water supply and providing food, fiber and raw materials.
- A global convention to protect such areas was adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. It provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources in its 172 member countries including India.
Gokul Reservoir and Udaipur Lake
- According to the information shared by India with the conference secretariat about these two wetlands, Gokul Reservoir is a Gokhur lake located on the southern bank of the Ganga river. During floods, this wetland acts as a buffer for nearby villages.
- More than 50 bird species are found in this site and its surroundings. Local communities depend on the wetland for fishing, farming and irrigation. Every year, during a traditional festival, villagers together remove weeds and clean the catchment area.
- Udaipur Lake is also a horseshoe-shaped lake that surrounds a village.
- More than 280 plant species are found in this wetland, including Elisicarpus roxburghianus, a perennial herb found in India.
- This wetland is an important winter habitat for about 35 migratory bird species, including the vulnerable common pochard.
Ramsar Convention
- It is an international treaty signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, aimed at the conservation and wise use of wetlands of international importance. This treaty provides a framework for national action and international cooperation for wetlands. In India, it came into effect on February 1, 1982.
Montreux Record:
- It is a register of those wetland sites that undergo ecological changes due to technological development, pollution or human intervention.
- Currently, two wetland sites from India are included in the Montreux Record: Keoladeo National Park of Rajasthan (added in 1990) and Loktak Lake of Manipur (added in 1993). Chilika Lake was also earlier included in this record, but in 2002 it was removed after human efforts.
