Yaya Tso lake in Ladakh has been proposed to be a Biodiversity Heritage Site. Biodiversity Heritage Site is an important topic in the environment and ecology section of the UPSC syllabus. What is a biodiversity heritage site? Why is the Yaya Tso recommended to be included on the list? Read on to know more.
Biodiversity Heritage Sites
Such sites are mentioned in Section 37 of the Biodiversity Act 2002. According to the Act, these areas are areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems which comprise any of: “species richness, high endemism, presence of rare, endemic and threatened species, keystone species, species of evolutionary significance, wild ancestors of domestic/cultivated species or landraces or their varieties, past pre-eminence of biological components represented by fossil beds and having cultural or aesthetic values.”
- The state government has the power to declare such a site within its jurisdiction. They need to consult the local bodies before doing so.
- They can also call for suggestions, or consider the sites that have already been suggested by the Biodiversity Management Committees and other such authorities.
- The rules for the management and conservation of such sites are made by the state governments themselves, in consultation with the Union Government.
- The state government can also frame the schemes to compensate or rehabilitate the people who get economically affected, and/or displaced due to any such declaration of a bio-heritage site.
- Right now, India has 40 such sites.
Bengal notifies four more biodiversity heritage sites (April 2023)
West Bengal has notified four new biodiversity heritage sites, taking the total to eight, the highest number in India. The sites are unique ecosystems with rich biodiversity.
- Char Balidanga: Located in the Kaliganj block of Nadia, Char Balidanga comprises two islands spread across 115 acres. The area has tropical riverine vegetation with tall grasses and trees, along with swampy flat land covered with algal mats, which are periodically inundated with tidal ebbs. Char Balidanga is home to almost 100 species of birds, golden monitor lizards, and golden jackals.
- Namthing Pokhari: Namthing Pokhari is a natural Himalayan wetland in the Kurseong block of Darjeeling, covering an area of 11.9 acres. The site is home to the Himalayan Salamander.
- Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park: Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park is near Illambazar in Birbhum and spreads across 10 hectares. The park has unique geological and palaeo-botanical features.
- State Horticulture Research and Development Station: The State Horticulture Research and Development Station is in Krishnanagar, Nadia, covering 97.88 acres. The site hosts indigenous horticulture germplasm of orchard trees.
Yaya Tso Lake
The proposal to include the Yaya Tso in the biodiversity heritage sites list has been sent to the Ladakh Biodiversity Council by the Biodiversity Management Committee, the Chumathang Village Panchayat and the SECURE Himalaya Project. If approved, this will be the first such site in Ladakh.
It is a lake located at an altitude of 4820m above sea level. It is a very important nesting and breeding site for a variety of birds such as the bar-headed goose, black-necked crane and the brahminy duck. This is why the lake is known as a “Birds’ Paradise”. Globally, it is one of the most important breeding sites for the vulnerable “black-necked crane”.
How many biodiversity heritage sites are present in India?
At present, there are 36 biodiversity heritage sites in India.
Biodiversity Heritage Sites in India List
| Nallur Tamarind Grove | Karnataka |
| Hogrekan | Karnataka |
| University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bengaluru | Karnataka |
| Ambaraguda | Karnataka |
| Glory of Allapalli | Maharashtra |
| Tonglu BHS under the Darjeeling Forest Division | West Bengal |
| Dhotrey BHS under the Darjeeling Forest Division | West Bengal |
| Dialong Village | Manipur |
| Ameenpur Lake | Telangana |
| Majuli | Assam |
| Ghariyal Rehabilitation Centre, Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh |
| Chilkigarh Kanak Durga | West Bengal |
| Khlaw Kur Syiem KmieIng | Meghalaya |
| Mandasaru | Odisha |
| Purvatali Rai | Goa |
| Naro Hills | Madhya Pradesh |
| Patalkot | Madhya Pradesh |
| Asramam, Kollam | Kerala |
| Bambarde Myristica Swamps | Maharashtra |
| Ganeshkhind Garden | Maharashtra |
| Landorkhori | Maharashtra |
| Schistura Hiranyakeshi | Maharashtra |
| Baneswar Shiva Dighi | West Bengal |
| Sacred Grove at Sural Bhatori Monastery | Himachal Pradesh |
| High Altitude Meadow @ HUDAN BHATORI | Himachal Pradesh |
| Birch-pine Forest Patch @ Nain Gahar | Himachal Pradesh |
| Baramura Waterfall | Tripura |
| Unakoti | Tripura |
| Silachari Caves | Tripura |
| Debbari or Chabimura | Tripura |
| Betlingshib & its surroundings | Tripura |
| Amarkantak | Madhya Pradesh |
| Hajong Tortoise Lake | Assam |
| Borjuli Wild Rice Site | Assam |
| Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site | Tamil Nadu |
| Mahendragiri Hill Biodiversity Heritage Site | Odisha |
| Char Balidanga | West Bengal |
| Namthing Pokhari | West Bengal |
| Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park | West Bengal |
| State Horticulture Research and Development Station | West Bengal |
Biodiversity Heritage Sites:- Download PDF Here
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