Context: India has added Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel to the List of Wetlands of International Importance, bringing its total number of “Ramsar Sites” to 103
Sukhna Wetland:
- Located at the edge of the city of Chandigarh and at the base of the Outer Himalayas, Sukhna Wetland (Site no. 2602 on the “Ramsar List”) is a peri-urban reservoir that plays an important role in regulating sediment and water flows from the surrounding catchment. The wetland experiences seasonal fluctuations in water levels and supports a range of habitats, from open water to littoral vegetation, scrub and forest, providing habitat for diverse species.
- The Site is particularly important for resident waterbirds and others migrating along the Central Asian Flyway, providing feeding, breeding, roosting and wintering habitats. Notable species include the vulnerable common pochard (Aythya ferina) and the endangered Pallas’s fish eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus). The shallow littoral habitats also support reptiles such as the endangered black pond turtle (Geoclemys hamiltonii).
- The wetland is also an important recreational and educational resource for the people of Chandigarh, providing a natural refuge adjacent to the urban landscape. Management challenges include sediment inflow from the catchment and the control of invasive species, and a management plan is in place, with measures including soil and moisture conservation works to reduce erosion and sediment loads, and periodic removal of invasive plants.
Sauj Jheel:
- Sauj Jheel in the state of Uttar Pradesh (Site no. 2603) is a shallow lake surrounded by farmland in the floodplain of the Ganga River. It forms part of a larger network of wetlands, contributing to ecological connectivity in the wider landscape, and is close to Saman Bird Sanctuary (Ramsar Site no. 2413).
- The lake supports diverse wetland-associated vegetation, including the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) and the wild sugarcane (Saccharum spontaneum). These habitats provide nesting and breeding sites, as well as shelter and food resources, for a variety of animal species.
- The Site is particularly important for waterbirds, regularly supporting more than 30,000 individuals, and has been designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by Birdlife International. Notable waterbird species recorded at the Site include the vulnerable sarus crane (Grus antigone) and greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga).
- Proposed management actions include a seasonal ban on fishing, restrictions on the use of fine-mesh fishing nets, and control of the access of cattle to the Site.