The recent news highlights India adding the Tso Kar Wetland Complex in Ladakh as its 42nd Ramsar site, a prestigious conservation status assigned by the International Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Prior to this, Maharashtra’s Lonar lake and Sur Sarovar in Agra, also known as Keetham lake, joined this list.
About Tso Kar Wetland Complex
The Tso Kar Basin is a high-altitude wetland complex located in the Changthang region of Ladakh. It consists of two significant water bodies: Startsapuk Tso, a freshwater lake that spans approximately 438 hectares to the south; and Tso Kar itself, a hypersaline lake that occupies roughly 1800 hectares to the north. The term ‘Tso Kar’ translates to ‘white lake’, which refers to the white salt efflorescence observed on the periphery due to evaporation of highly saline water.
Significance as an Important Bird Area
Tso Kar Wetland Complex is recognized as an A1 Category Important Bird Area (IBA) as per Bird Life International. The IBA program of Bird Life International is designed to identify, monitor, and protect a global network of IBAs for the conservation of earth’s birds and associated biodiversity. Besides, Tso Kar Wetland Complex is also an important staging site in the Central Asian Flyway (CAF).
The Central Asian Flyway
The CAF covers a vast continental expanse of Eurasia between the Arctic and Indian Oceans, including several associated island chains. It includes several crucial waterbird migration routes, most of which stretch from the northern breeding territories in Siberia (Russian Federation) to the southern non-breeding (wintering) grounds in West and South Asia, the Maldives, and British Indian Ocean Territory. CAF is occupied by at least 279 populations of 182 migratory waterbird species, with 29 globally endangered species.
Importance of Wetlands
Wetlands are defined as transitional lands between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems where the water table is usually near the surface, or the land is encapsulated by shallow water. They yield a broad range of essential resources and ecosystem services, including food, water, fibre, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood control, erosion prevention, and climate regulation. Wetlands are primarily a significant water source and the primary supplier of freshwater, absorbing rainfall and replenishing groundwater.
Ramsar Sites and the Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty established in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. It began imposing for India from February 1, 1982. Wetlands of international significance are declared as Ramsar sites by the convention. The mission of the Convention is to conserve and use all wetlands wisely through local and national actions and international cooperation, contributing to achieving sustainable development across the world.
The Montreux Record
The Montreux Record is a register of internationally important wetland sites that have undergone, are undergoing, or are likely to undergo changes in ecological character due to technological developments, pollution, or other human interference. Presently, two of India’s wetlands, Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan and Loktak Lake in Manipur, are included in the Montreux Record. Chilika Lake in Odisha was once part of the record but was later removed.