UP’s Shekha Jheel joins Ramsar List, India nears milestone of 100 sites

Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh, was designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance on April 22, 2026, making it I...

What Happened

Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh, was designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance on April 22, 2026, making it India's 99th Ramsar site.
The designation brings Uttar Pradesh's total Ramsar sites to 12 — the highest tally among all Indian states, overtaking Tamil Nadu.
The freshwater perennial lake, covering approximately 25 hectares and located about 15–17 km from Aligarh city, is hydrologically connected to the Upper Ganga Canal system (constructed in 1852).
With this addition, India now has 99 Ramsar sites covering over 1.38 million hectares, positioning it third in the world by total site count — and the highest in South Asia.
The next addition would make India the first country to cross 100 Ramsar sites, a milestone with significant conservation symbolism.

Static Topic Bridges

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971)

The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty signed in Ramsar, Iran, on February 2, 1971, and entered into force on December 21, 1975. It is one of the oldest modern international environmental agreements and provides the global framework for the conservation and "wise use" of all types of wetlands.

February 2 is observed globally as World Wetlands Day to commemorate the signing of the convention.
India acceded to the Convention on February 1, 1982; Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) were India's first two Ramsar sites, both designated on October 1, 1981.
A site is listed under the Ramsar Convention if it meets at least one of nine criteria — relating to representativeness, rare ecosystem types, biodiversity, waterbird populations, fish species, or other ecological indicators.
The Ramsar Secretariat is based in Gland, Switzerland, and operates under the auspices of IUCN.
The Convention requires each Contracting Party to maintain the ecological character of its listed sites and to report on their condition.

Connection to this news: Shekha Jheel's designation reflects India's accelerating Ramsar commitments, having added over 14 new sites since 2022 alone, and moves the country one step from the symbolic 100-site milestone.

Central Asian Flyway (CAF)

The Central Asian Flyway is one of the world's major migratory bird routes, stretching across the Eurasian landmass from the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Russia and Central Asia to the wintering grounds in South Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Maldives, the British Indian Ocean Territory, and the coasts of sub-Saharan East Africa.

The CAF covers 30 countries and supports over 400 waterbird species (including 29 globally threatened species).
India is a critical node on the CAF; a significant proportion of migratory birds enter via the northwest and pass through the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Key species that use the CAF and winter in Indian wetlands include Bar-headed Goose, Eurasian Crane, Greater Flamingo, Common Teal, and Northern Pintail.
India launched a National Action Plan for the CAF in 2018, identifying priority sites and species for conservation.

Connection to this news: Shekha Jheel's position on the CAF makes it a vital stopover habitat for migratory species — a key criterion for Ramsar listing under criteria related to waterbird assemblages.

Ecosystem Services of Freshwater Wetlands

Wetlands deliver a range of ecosystem services that underpin both ecological integrity and human welfare — categorised as provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services.

Regulating services: Flood attenuation, groundwater recharge, water purification (removal of nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals), and carbon sequestration (wetlands store more carbon per unit area than most terrestrial ecosystems).
Provisioning services: Freshwater supply, fisheries, non-timber forest products.
Supporting services: Nutrient cycling, primary productivity, habitat for breeding waterbirds.
Cultural services: Biodiversity tourism, spiritual and aesthetic value, livelihood for fishing communities.
Globally, wetlands cover only about 6% of Earth's land surface but support approximately 40% of the world's species and provide ecosystem services valued at $47 trillion per year.

Connection to this news: Shekha Jheel's designation recognises not just avian biodiversity but the broader role of freshwater wetlands in the Upper Gangetic Plain — which faces severe pressures from agricultural runoff, encroachment, and groundwater extraction.

India's Wetland Conservation Framework

India's legal and institutional framework for wetland protection includes the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 (under the Environment Protection Act, 1986), the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and international obligations under the Ramsar Convention.

The Wetlands Rules, 2017 replaced the earlier 2010 Rules and empowered State Wetland Authorities to identify and manage wetlands.
A National Wetland Inventory and Assessment (NWIA) by ISRO mapped over 200,000 wetlands across India.
The National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP) provides financial and technical support for conservation of identified wetlands.
Shekha Jheel is also a notified Bird Sanctuary under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 — an additional layer of legal protection.

Connection to this news: The dual status of Shekha Jheel as a notified Bird Sanctuary and now a Ramsar site creates a layered conservation regime that strengthens both habitat protection and migratory bird corridor integrity.

Key Facts & Data

Shekha Jheel: Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh; approximately 25 hectares; 15–17 km from Aligarh city.
Connected to the Upper Ganga Canal system, constructed in 1852.
Supports 249 bird species, including 62 wetland-dependent species.
Key migratory species: Bar-headed Goose, Painted Stork, Northern Pintail.
Designated as India's 99th Ramsar site on April 22, 2026.
Uttar Pradesh now has 12 Ramsar sites — highest among all Indian states.
India's total: 99 Ramsar sites covering approximately 1.38 million hectares.
India ranks 3rd in the world by number of Ramsar sites; first in South Asia.
India's first Ramsar sites: Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) — both designated October 1, 1981.
Ramsar Convention signed: February 2, 1971; India became a Contracting Party: February 1, 1982.
World Wetlands Day: February 2.