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What is the news?
Haiderpur Wetland of Western Uttar Pradesh has been recognized as 47th Ramsar site in the country and 10th in Uttar Pradesh.
About Haiderpur Wetland
Haiderpur Wetland is a human made wetland situated on the Muzaffarnagar-Bijnor border in Uttar Pradesh.
It was formed in 1984 by the construction of Madhya Ganga Barrage at the confluence of Solani and Ganga rivers and is a part of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary.
Haiderpur Wetland supports a variety of plant species as it is a source of freshwater and groundwater recharge.
It also supports more than 15 globally threatened species such as the critically endangered gharial and the endangered hog deer, black-bellied tern, steppe eagle, Indian skimmer and gold mahseer.
The site also regularly supports more than one per cent of the population of greylag goose (Anser anser) and bar-headed goose (Anser indicus).
What is the significance of this recognition?
The recognition of the Haiderpur wetland is significant for the ecology that is suffering the impact of climate change and losing varied plant and animal species.
As per the Ramsar Convention on wetlands report, the wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests, with 35% of the wetlands lost from 1970-2015.
Hence, this is an alarming situation demanding urgent attention, as 40% of the world’s plant and animal species breed in wetlands. They are also vital feeding and breeding grounds for migratory birds.
Source: This post is based on the article “Haiderpur Wetland added to Ramsar site; total tally goes up to 47” published in AIR on 11th Dec 2021.
