Biodiversity over boarding gates, Tamil Nadu chooses its Ramsar sites
The Hindu - Opinion · Published 11 November 2026 · Last updated
Tamil Nadu has emerged as a national leader in wetland preservation with the highest number of Ramsar sites, balancing development pressures along crucial migratory flyways like the Central Asian Flyway.
Key points
- Tamil Nadu features prominent sanctuaries like Vedanthangal and Karikili, which are officially recognized as Ramsar sites of international importance.
- These protected wetlands serve as critical habitats for migratory birds utilizing the Central Asian Flyway, a major global migratory route for numerous bird species.
- India's total network of Ramsar Sites has expanded significantly to reach 103 sites across the country.
- Tamil Nadu leads all Indian states with 20 Ramsar sites, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 14 sites.
- The national network of wetlands has experienced a rapid expansion, marking a nearly fourfold rise from just 26 sites in 2014.
- India's extensive wetland network currently ranks first in Asia and third in the world in terms of total site numbers.
- Collectively, India's designated Ramsar sites span more than 13.87 lakh hectares across 28 States and Union Territories.
- Recent additions to the national tally include Surha Tal in Uttar Pradesh as the 100th site in June 2026 and Glaw Lake as the 101st site in August 2026.
- Additional inclusions such as Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh further elevated the national tally to 103 sites by October 2026.
Background
- India officially became a contracting party to the Ramsar Convention on February 1, 1982, committing to the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
- The international treaty governing these ecosystems, known as the Ramsar Convention, was originally adopted globally in the year 1971.
- The national wetland network saw accelerated growth in 2025 alone, with the addition of 11 wetlands to the tally.
Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: The Hindu - Opinion