Yesterday, while the entire nation celebrated the National Birdwatching Day, the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) declared the Kanwar Lake (which is also known by the name Kabar Taal) of Begusarai the first Ramsar site of Bihar.

The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate change Prakash Javadekar shared this information on his official twitter handle yesterday. He said, Pleased to inform that Bihar has got its first Ramsar site. Kabar Taal in Begusarai, becomes a wetland of International importance. It is an important wetland of the Central Asian Flyway for the population of migratory birds and biodiversity. With this now India has 39 Ramsar sites.

Those of you who don’t know, India now has the highest number of Ramsar sites in the entire South Asia.

What is a Ramsar Site?

A Ramsar site is a wetland site that is of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. In 1971, the UNESCO established an intergovernmental environment treaty for wetlands. The treaty is all about the conservation of wetlands and sustainable use of their resources.

Why has Kanwar Lake in Begusarai been declared the Ramsar Site?

The lake is spreaded over an area of 2620 hectares and hosts a plethora of different species. Some species are endangered too. Here is the list of species the lake is hosting right now.

  1. 106 different species of resident birds
  2. 59 species of migratory birds
  3. 5 critically endangered species that includes 3 vultures and 2 water birds. The 3 vultures are Indian vulture (Gyps indicus), red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) and white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis). The 2 water birds are sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius) and baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri).
  4. 46 different species of Fishes
  5. A large number of flora and fauna

Now although in 1987, the lake was proposed as a Ramsar site, it has now been declared a wetland of international importance. To prevent poaching, back in 1989, the Bihar Government declared it a bird sanctuary.

Right now, reportedly, the lake water is declining at an alarming rate due to eutrophication, hence it must be restored as soon as possible.

Benefit of Becoming a Ramsar Site

Since, the lake has now been declared a Ramsar Site, in addition to the local and national government, it will now be taken care by the International bodies like UNESCO too. Now, more funds will be alloted to maintain and protect the lake.

Sanjay Likes to write about Blog and Stuff. A Native to Muzaffarpur. In the meantime he like to try different recipes.

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