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Sundarbans Wetlands and Ramsar Convention: 27th in India

 

On January 30, 2019 the Indian Sundarbans was accorded the status of Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. The Sundarbans comprises of hundreds of Islands and a network of rivers, tributaries and creeks in the delta of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra rivers at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal of India and Bangladesh. Indian Sundarbans constitutes over 60% of the country’s total mangrove forest area. It is the 27th Ramsar site in India and the largest protected wetland in the country. Ten more site has been accorded the status of Wetlland of Internattioal Importance (Read here).

About Ramsar Convention

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, better known as the Ramsar Convention is an international agreement promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands. It is the only global treaty to focus on a single ecosystem. The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. Traditionally viewed as a wasteland or breeding ground of disease, wetlands actually provide freshwater and food and serve as nature’s shock absorber. Wetlands critical for biodiversity are disappearing rapidly. With recent estimates showing that 64% or more of the world’s wetlands have vanished since 1900. Major changes in the land use for agriculture and grazing, water diversion for dams and canals and infrastructure development are considered to be some of the main causes of loss and degradation of wetlands.

About Sundarbans

The Indian Sundarbans met four of the nine criteria required for the status of Ramsar convention:-

·         Presence of rare species and threatened ecological communities, biological diversity, significant and representative fish and fish spawning ground, migration path.

·         Indian Sundarbans is also a UNESCO world heritage site, is home to the Royal Bengal Tiger, Northern river terrapin (Critically Endangered), Irrawaddy Dolphin (Endangered), Fishing Cat (Vulnerable), Horse Shoe Crab and Kingfisher.

·         Indian Sundarbans is home to 2626 faunal species and 90% of the countries mangroves varieties

Importance of Ramsar Status

Environmentalists and forest officials say that the Ramsar status will help to highlight the conservation issues of the Sundarbans at the international level. The part of Sundarbans delta which lies in Bangladesh was accorded the status of a Ramsar Site in 1992, and with Indian Sundarbans getting it too international cooperation between the two countries for the protection of this unique ecosystem will increase.  This could lead to a better conservation strategy for flagship species such as the tiger and the Northern River terrapin.

Threats to the Sundarbans Wetland

While the Indian Sundarbans is a biodiverse preserve, over four million people live on its northern and north-western periphery, putting pressure on the ecosystem. Concerns have been raised about natural ecosystems being changed for cultivation of shrimp, crab, molluscs and fishes. The Ramsar information sheets lists fishing and harvesting of aquatic resources as a “high impact” actual threat to the wetland. The other threat to the wetland are dredging, oil and gas drilling, logging and wood harvesting, hunting and collecting terrestrial. Salinity has been categorised as a “medium” and tourism as a “low” impact actual threat to the region. Experts believe that while the Ramsar status may bring in international recognition to the Indian Sundarbans, the wetland which along with anthropogenic pressure is also vulnerable to climate change and requires better management and conservation practices.

 

 

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