Chennai: The declaration of Sakkarakottai and Theerthangal bird sanctuaries in Ramanathapuram district as two new Ramsar sites on Saturday has taken the total number of such sites to 20 in the State, whose government is committed to protect its wetlands through a comprehensive conservation and management plan.For the first time in the country, the State launched “Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission” a unique mission exclusively for the cause of wetland protection, conservation and restoration with focus on livelihood options, an official press release said. Ramsar Convention on wetlands is an international convention on wetlands that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. After India became the contracting party of the Ramsar Convention on February 1, 1982, the Government under the leadership of Chief Minister M K Stalin added 19 new Ramsar sites in the years 2022, 2024 and 2025 making Tamil Nadu the leading State in India with 20 number of Ramsar sites, it said. Two new Ramsar sites at Sakkarakottai and Therthangal coveran area of 230.495 ha and 29.295 ha respectively and are situated in the Central Asian Flyway, serving as an important breeding and foraging ground for water bird species. The sites act as home for more than 400 species of flora and fauna and near threatened bird species like Spot-billed Pelican, Black-headed Ibis and Oriental Darter use the trees of these wetlands as nesting sites. The wetland helps in irrigation, ground water recharge and climate regulation of the area, which has a positive impact on the livelihood of the local communities, the release said. An Integrated Management Plan for 13 Ramsar sites have already been prepared by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (South India Centre of Wildlife Institute of India), Coimbatore to facilitate the integrated development of Ramsar sites with focus on water management, low impact ecotourism, biodiversity conservation and for improving the livelihood opportunities for the local communities. A similar approach shall be undertaken for the remaining 5 Ramsar sites including the two newly declared sites, the release said.
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