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World Wetlands Day- Appreciating our Eco Warriors!

Team StoryWeavers|July 24, 2019, 12:09 IST| 68

Did you know – about 95% of the world’s fresh water comes from underground sources and as many as 100,000 different species depend on wetlands for their survival? So how important wetlands can be?

What are Wetlands?

Wetlands are exactly how they sound: land covered by shallow waters. They occurs where water meets land, including ponds, lakes, reservoirs, creeks, mangroves and other water bodies. They exist in every country and in every climatic zone, from polar regions to the tropics, and from high altitudes to dry regions. However, they do all have one thing in common – they play an important role in the lives of humans and animals and prevents Earth’s rapid climatic change. In fact, they are nature’s purifier and helps bridge the gap between green and grey infrastructure in urban cities and makes our surroundings livable.

Sadly, over the years, about 50% of the world’s wetlands have  been lost or destroyed by humans. Thus, in order to save and protect the remaining wetlands, The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was adopted in Ramsar, Iran on 2nd February, 1971. Since then the 2nd of February is celebrated as the world wetlands day, to create social awareness about the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. This year, the theme ‘Wetlands and Climate Change’ aims to raise awareness about how wetlands can help prevent rapid climatic changes.

Thanks to Ramsar Convention, more than 5% of the earth’s surface today is covered with wetlands, with 56% thriving in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.  India alone is home to 26 such sites.

In order to create further awareness and add momentum to this movement, here’s a list of major wetlands in India, identified under Ramsar Convention:

Vembanad Wetland, Kerala

          Vembanad Wetland, Kerala

Vembanad Wetland (Kerala): The Vembanad Kol is the longest lake in India and the largest in Kerala. Home to more than 20,000 waterfowls and an ideal habitat for shrimps, Vembanad Kol is a famous tourist spot.

Chilika Wetland (Odisha): Brackish water lagoon, Chilika Lake is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the 2nd largest lagoon in the world. Its ecosystem is the largest home for Irrawaddy dolphin and migratory birds on the Indian subcontinent.

Bhoj Wetland (Bhopal): The Bhoj Wetland consist of two lakes – Bhojtal and Lower Lake, in the city of Bhopal. These lakes are home to a diverse flora, fauna and many remote species.

Ashtamudi Wetland (Kerala): Ashtamudi Lake is the second largest and deepest wetland ecosystem in Kerala. With a palm shaped extensive water body and eight prominent arms, the Ashtamudi lake is situated near the Vembanad Lake.

Kolleru Lake (Andhra Pradesh): Kolleru Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in India which is located between the Krishna and Godavari river delta in Andhra Pradesh. Home to a large species of wetland birds, the lake is also a common tourist spot.

Deepor Beel (Assam): Also spelled as Dipor Bil, this is a permanent freshwater lake and one of the largest ‘beels’ (a local word for lake) in the Brahmaputra valley of lower Assam. Surrounded by steep highlands on the northern and southern sides one gets to see varieties of migratory birds, wild animals and aquatic birds.  

Loktak Lake , Manipur

     Loktak Lake, Manipur

Loktak Lake (Manipur): It is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India and is the last natural home of the endangered Sangai deer in India. The lake is also popularly known as ‘The Floating Lake’ due to the floating phumdis. Near the lake is the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which acts as a major tourist attraction. Both the lake and the park play an important role in the economy of Manipur.

Sambhar Salt Lake (Rajasthan): Sambhar Salt Lake is the largest inland salt lake in India, surrounded by the Aravali hills on all sides. The lake contributes significantly to the country’s salt production and is one of the best places to spot pink flamingos and other migratory birds.

While wetland ecosystems hold an important part of  the world’s biodiversity, they are rapidly disappearing due to various reasons. Some of the major threats are industrial and agricultural activities, along with tourism, dams, pollution and other human activities. Without these suitable wetland habitats, many species would soon be homeless and probably extinct! It’s time we take some action and work to conserve and restore these amazing ecosystems, which help us prepare for and potentially fight the adverse effects of climate change.

Here are a few things that we can do to save these beautiful wetlands :

  • Reduce the consumption of energy to help slow down rapid climate changes.
  • Use paper and recycled products made from unbleached paper.
  • Keep your area clean! Pick up all the litter and dispose in appropriate trash containers.
  • Plant more local species of trees, shrubs and flowers to keep the ecological balance of local wetlands

So, take a step to protect these eco worries and help make the planet a better place!

About the Author


Books are Tanaya Goswami’s first love and cheesecakes come a close second. Talking about movies, music, calligraphy, politics, and Elon Musk will get you listed under the friends’ section of her diary. Ever since moving on from her job as an English lecturer, she spends her time at BYJU’S crafting stories filled with emotion and sprinkled with sarcasm. Outside of work, she’s either learning something new (French, most recently!) or is curled up with a book and a cup of coffee. She firmly believes that discovering what you don’t know is the key to knowledge and is constantly working towards improving herself. Drop in a line at storyweavers@byjus.com if you liked her stories, have something nice to say, or if you have compelling ideas to share!

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Comments



Anushka

February 14, 2019

Thank you byjus for this information.


Adarsh

February 14, 2019

You are amazing byjus. We are glad to read and explore new ways of improving.


Rahi

February 12, 2019

Thanks for such a nice information


Rakshit

February 11, 2019

I got a very important information , so thank you and I will also try to share this message to all my near people


M.s.venki

February 10, 2019

I am so grateful forcyou in making this invisible day visible to me


Ameen Mehta

February 8, 2019

Thanks you for such valuable information…


Divya Dharshini

February 7, 2019

February second is my birthday . Thank you byju’s for sending a useful information.


Aditya

February 6, 2019

Happy wet land day


Aditya

February 6, 2019

Happy wetland day


Vikram

February 5, 2019

Hi Tanya,

Its 2nd Feb 1971 not 1991, india became part of convention in 1982. Please correct the info.


Samarth daud

February 5, 2019

Thankyou for giving me this type of learning tree Tanaya Goswami


Samarth Desai

February 5, 2019

Thank you byju’s to share to tell us about this incedent taken place.
Good book, I appreciate Tanaya Goswami (Author) to give a good
information about the incedent.
Thank You
Samarth


Gugann

February 5, 2019

We also need other information


Tejas Agarwal

February 5, 2019

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I wasn’t knowing about the face that you told.
Thanks?


Bharti

February 5, 2019

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JOEL JACOB

February 5, 2019

thank you for giving such a nice information Byju’s


Bhuvaneshwari

February 4, 2019

Supper!Iam very very thankful for your byjus app wish you a happy wetland day.


Saanvi Bhatia

February 4, 2019

Thanks byjus to tell us so much about such a good topic and always teach whatever comes new


Aaditya Raj Bhatia

February 4, 2019

Thanks for telling so much about wetland


Jigneshsinh Vaghela

February 4, 2019

Thanks for knowledge


Rithul Kamesh

February 4, 2019

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Diya Raj

February 4, 2019

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I truly appreciate it…
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Thanks for this invaluable message…
Thanks again….


Neelanj

February 4, 2019

Thank you Byjus for giving such an important
information regarding the endangered wetlands.
I will try my best to save the lives of these lifegiving wetlands.


Devishree

February 3, 2019

Nice article ?


Rajeswari

February 3, 2019

Thank you for the information byjus and we will keep clean wetland


Aparna Mishra

February 3, 2019

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BYJU'S LOVER

February 3, 2019

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Please tell and send some more contest ..
Waiting…..?


#Raj

February 3, 2019

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Really appreciated


Kumudini Patil.

February 3, 2019

Thanks team byjus for such priceless information about wetlands…


Disha Hegde?

February 3, 2019

Thank you!! Byjus & Tanaya Goswami for this wonderful information……and would like to read more such informations!!!!?


lakshmi

February 3, 2019

Thank you for the information


SHREYA S

February 3, 2019

THANK YOU BYJU’S AND TANAYA GOSWAMI 4 THIS VALUABLE AND NEW
INFORMATION….


SHREYA S

February 3, 2019

THANK YOU BYJU’S AND TANAYA GOSWAMI 4 THIS VALUABLE INFORMATION….


Lisha

February 3, 2019

The information you provided about wet land has been very helpful


Suyash Kumar

February 3, 2019

This valuable information can help us
to understand the importance and need
of wetlands. Thanks for such a valuable information.


Albin Vincent

February 3, 2019

Thank you team byjus for for this valuable information I will try my best to save the wetlands


Albin Vincent

February 3, 2019

Thank you team byjus for this valuable information I will try my best to save the wetlands


Thanushree

February 3, 2019

Thanks you for giving a such a wonderful information


Shagun

February 3, 2019

Thanks Byju’s for such a great information.
I will try my best to save the wetlands.


Chahat

February 3, 2019

Thanks,byju’s for telling me a new thing ..such a amazing information


Aryan Sharma

February 3, 2019

Thanks for the information


Anushka Singh

February 3, 2019

Thanks byju’s for realizing us the importance of saving these precious and beautiful wetlands.


Araman Parida

February 3, 2019

Thanks for your kind information.


Riteeka Dev

February 2, 2019

Happy World Wetland Day to Byju’s


Shakthi deepti S.S

February 2, 2019

Byju’s gives us very effective and important information ever.Thankyou Byju’s team


Amritesh Banerjee

February 2, 2019

Thanks for your valuable information Byju’s


Akanksha

February 2, 2019

Thank you byju’s for such a beautiful information.
I will try to maintain the wetlands around our area.


KC Raina

February 2, 2019

These are valuable informations which encourage everyone to maintain our eco-system.
Thanks Byjus.


Anishka Nayak

February 2, 2019

Thank you byjus for these valuable information and
I will also rise my hands to take care
of the wetlands.


Naren

February 2, 2019

Came to know about the importance and benefits of wetlands. Thanks Byjus..


Pratisa kar

February 2, 2019

Thank u byjus forgiving me such info. I will try to take care of it


Dushyanth Chowdary Kolli

February 2, 2019

Thanks Byjus I don’t know that our wetlands are helping us out this much. I will try my best to preserve our wetlands


Divyanshu

February 2, 2019

Thank you Byju’s team for creating awareness in us ??. I will try to work on it and contribute in the nature’s development. ??


Arya Tiwari

February 2, 2019

Thanks for giving this valuable lesson


Raniya Jaleel

February 2, 2019

Thanks for the great information


Anushka Tiwari

February 2, 2019

Thankyou byjus for providing me that much information about wetlands and I will try to keep the beautiful wetlands clean


Ishaan Kulkarni

February 2, 2019

Your things are valuable and interesting


Niranjana shyju

February 2, 2019

Thank you team byjus for giving such a valuable information.


Niranjana shyju

February 2, 2019

Thank you team byjus for giving such a valuable information


Shristi

February 2, 2019

Thanks for this important information and I will try to take care of wetlands clean and beautiful


SIDHARTH SUNIL

February 2, 2019

ITS GREAT……INFIRMATIVE……AND A MESSEAGE TO WE KIDS


Samiksha Kahali

February 2, 2019

Thanks byjus for this valuable information and I will try to help our beautiful wetlands clean ??


Aakash Singh

February 2, 2019

Learned a new thing …


SSS SASANK

February 2, 2019

Thank you Tanaya Goswami (The Author)
for giving us such nice information!


Suthar dixit

February 2, 2019

very nice
i appericiate


Srabani biswas

February 2, 2019

Thanks for such a valuable information


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