Udaipur’s ‘bird village’ to be declared wetland

Published: 2nd Jul, 2022

Context

Menar in Udaipur district is set to be notified as Rajasthan's new wetland.

About

The two lakes in the village – the Brahma and Dhandh – play host to a large number of migratory birds in the winter season every year.
The State government's Forest Department has initiated the process for notification of Menar as a wetland, which will recognise its role in the storage of sediment and nutrients and enable the local authorities to maintain the Brahma and Dhandh lakes.
- With the status of wetland, the two lakes will be strengthened for increasing vegetation of aquatic plants and protecting biodiversity.
Observed Species:
- More than 150 species of local and migratory birds inhabit the two lakes in the winter season.
- They include Greater Flamingo, White-tailed Lapwing, Pelican, Marsh Harrier, Bar-headed Goose, Common Teal, Greenshank, Pintail, Wagtail, Green Sandpiper and Red-wattled Lapwing.
- Bird lovers and tourists flock to the village after the arrival of migratory birds from as far as Central Asia, Europe and Mongolia.
Other Ramsar Sites in Rajasthan:

At present, Rajasthan has two wetlands recognised as Ramsar sites –

About Wetlands

Wetlands are land areas that are saturated or flooded with water either permanently or seasonally.
Inland wetlands include marshes, ponds, lakes, fens, rivers, floodplains, and swamps.
Coastal wetlandsinclude saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons, and even coral reefs. Fishponds, rice paddies, and saltpans are human-made wetlands.
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international agreement promoting the conservation of wetlands.
The Convention was adopted at Ramsar in Iran in 1971 and came into force in 1975. Almost 90% of the UN member states are part of the Convention.

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