Experts join hands for Ramsar site tag for wetlands in Assam sanctuary, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• Conservationists are advocating for Ramsar site recognition for the Rowmari-Donduwa wetland complex within Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam.
• The wetland complex is part of the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, and has recorded a higher bird population than Assam’s Deepor Beel and Manipur’s Loktak Lake, which are the only two Ramsar sites in the northeast.
• The Rowmari Beel recorded 20,653 birds of 75 species, while Donduwa Beel had 26,480 birds of 88 species during the 6th Kaziranga Waterbird Census.
• The Assam Forest Department has submitted a proposal to declare the Rowmari-Donduwa wetland complex a Ramsar Site.

Detailed Insights:

• Laokhowa and Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuaries serve as crucial connectivity corridors for wildlife migrating between Kaziranga Tiger Reserve and Orang National Park, forming the Kaziranga-Orang landscape.
• The Rowmari-Donduwa wetland complex, spanning approximately 3 sq. km, supports around 120 species of resident and migratory birds annually, including threatened species.
• Civil society and students have contributed significantly by researching and monitoring the wetland complex, providing essential data on avian species and the floodplain-marsh ecosystem.
• Recognition as a Ramsar site would enhance conservation efforts, attract international attention, and provide access to resources for the sustainable management of the Rowmari-Donduwa wetland complex.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ramsar Site: A wetland of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention.
• Ramsar Convention: An intergovernmental treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.
• Wetland: Areas of land that are either permanently or seasonally saturated with water, including marshes, swamps, and lakes.