Ramsar Wetland Sites — Set 7

Correct Answer: B. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal agency for the Ramsar Convention in India. The National Wetland Conservation Programme is implemented by MoEFCC. The ministry is responsible for identifying and nominating new Ramsar sites, implementing the Ramsar wise use principle, and reporting to the Ramsar Secretariat. The Wildlife Institute of India provides technical support for wetland management.

Correct Answer: B. Wetland or lake

In Assamese, 'Beel' means a wetland or lake. Deepor Beel is located about 10 km southwest of Guwahati city in Assam and was designated as a Ramsar Wetland Site in 2002. The wetland is important for elephants that use it as a crossing point between forest areas. Deepor Beel also functions as a sewage treatment wetland that helps filter the effluents from Guwahati city.

Correct Answer: C. 2000

The Chilika Lake's restoration involved opening a new inlet to the Bay of Bengal in 2000 as part of the restoration efforts by the Chilika Development Authority. The original Chilika mouth was blocked due to siltation, which led to the lake's degradation and its inclusion in the Montreux Record in 1993. After the new mouth was opened, water circulation improved dramatically, fish production increased, and the lake was removed from the Montreux Record in 2002.

Correct Answer: B. Rice cultivation below sea level

The Kuttanad region in Kerala, part of the Vembanad-Kol Ramsar Wetland, is known for rice cultivation at 0.6 to 2.2 meters below sea level. This makes Kuttanad the only place in India (and one of the very few in the world) where agriculture is practiced below sea level. The land is protected from flooding by an extensive bund system. Kuttanad is referred to as the 'rice bowl of Kerala' and is the lowest land area in India.

Correct Answer: C. 19

India added 19 new Ramsar Wetland Sites in August 2022 to mark the country's 75th Independence Day (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav). This was one of the largest single additions to India's Ramsar list. The new sites included wetlands from Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and other states. With this addition, India's total Ramsar sites count increased to 75, symbolically matching the 75 years of independence.

Correct Answer: B. Spot-billed Pelican

Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu is particularly important for the Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), which nests here in large numbers. The sanctuary hosts one of the largest nesting colonies of Spot-billed Pelicans in South Asia. It is estimated that thousands of pelicans nest here along with painted storks and other colonial nesting waterbirds. Local villagers have protected the birds for over 400 years.

Correct Answer: B. Cauvery

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is located on the banks of the Cauvery River in the Mandya district of Karnataka and was designated as a Ramsar Wetland Site in 2022. It consists of six islands and is famous for its large breeding colony of painted storks, open-billed storks, cormorants, and spoonbills. It also harbors a population of mugger crocodiles and flying foxes. The sanctuary was established in 1940.

Correct Answer: B. Maharana Pratap Sagar

Pong Dam Lake in Himachal Pradesh is officially known as Maharana Pratap Sagar. It was formed by the construction of the Pong Dam on the Beas River in 1975 and named after the legendary Rajput warrior Maharana Pratap. It covers an area of about 260 sq km and was designated as a Ramsar Wetland Site in 2002. The lake is a major wintering ground for migratory birds from Central Asia including bar-headed geese.

Correct Answer: C. Irrawaddy Dolphin

Chilika Lake in Odisha is famous for Irrawaddy Dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris), which are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Chilika Lake has the world's largest population of Irrawaddy Dolphins in a confined lagoon. The dolphins are found mainly in the Satapada area of the lake. Chilika harbors approximately 230 Irrawaddy Dolphins, making it a critical conservation site for this species.

Correct Answer: B. Telangana

Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Mancherial district of Telangana and was designated as a Ramsar Wetland Site in 2022. The sanctuary contains several water bodies and wetlands within a tiger reserve. It is an important habitat for tigers, leopards, and various wetland-dependent bird species. The designation was significant as it was one of the first Ramsar sites from Telangana state.