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Category — GS Paper 3 ///Published — 2026-06-06 ///Exam — Both Prelims and Mains ///Tags — Ramsar Sites, Wetland Conservation, Biodiversity ///Category — GS Paper 3 ///Published — 2026-06-06 ///Exam — Both Prelims and Mains ///Tags — Ramsar Sites, Wetland Conservation, Biodiversity ///

News · GS Paper 3

India Achieves Milestone: 100th Ramsar Site at Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary

On World Environment Day 2026, India achieved a major conservation milestone by designating the Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary (Surha Tal) in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, as its 100th Ramsar site. This positions India as having the highest number of Ramsar sites in Asia and third globally after the UK (176) and Mexico (144). The sanctuary, a natural oxbow lake in the Ganga basin, serves as a critical stopover along the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds from Siberia and Central Asia.

2026-06-06

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Key Highlights

Global Recognition

India now ranks 3rd globally in Ramsar site count with 100 sites
Highest number of Ramsar sites in Asia
Trailing behind: United Kingdom (176) and Mexico (144)
Announcement made on World Environment Day (5th June 2026)

Location and Formation

Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary also known as Surha Tal
Situated in Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh
Located in the middle stretch of the Ganga River basin
Originally declared a bird sanctuary by UP government in 1991
It is a natural oxbow lake formed by the meandering course of the Ganga River

Ecological Significance

Receives freshwater through three primary channels
Experiences massive expansion over floodplains and marshes during monsoon season
Falls strictly under the Central Asian Flyway
Critical stopover and wintering ground for thousands of migratory birds

Biodiversity

Avifauna (Birds):

Common pochard (Aythya ferina) - Vulnerable
Indian river tern (Sterna aurantia)
Sarus cranes
Bar-headed geese

Aquatic Life:

Over 221 plant species
66 fish species including:
Wallago attu (Vulnerable)
Bagarius bagarius (Vulnerable)

Mammals:

Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) - Vulnerable
Uses the site as prime feeding and breeding ground due to abundant fish

Uttar Pradesh's Achievement

This is UP's 13th Ramsar site
Earlier in 2026, other UP wetlands added:
Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary (Aligarh district)
Patna Bird Sanctuary (Etah district)

Wetlands Definition

Ramsar Convention Definition: Areas of marsh, fen, peatland, or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, containing static or flowing fresh, brackish, or saline water, including shallow marine areas up to six metres deep at low tide.

India's Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 exclude:

River channels
Paddy fields
Drinking water tanks
Water bodies specifically created for aquaculture, salt production, recreation, or irrigation

Cultural Significance

Surha Taal is associated with local historical, religious, and traditional beliefs, making it an important socio-ecological landscape in eastern Uttar Pradesh.