Lonar Lake of Buldhana declared Ramsar site

In Maharashtra, one more lake has been declared the 'Ramsar Site', This time it is the Lonar lake  of Buldhana district. It will be the 41st “Ramsar” site of India. “Inhabiting the site are 160 species of birds including the vulnerable Asian woolly neck (Ciconia episcopus) and common pochard (Aythya ferina), 46 species of reptiles, and 12 species of mammals including the iconic grey wolf (Canis lupus),” reads the announcement by Ramsar Convention.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention for the conservation of wetlands was called the ‘Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat’. The convention got its name of Ramsar Convention from the city of Ramsar in Iran where it was signed in 1971 and came into force in 1975. According to the Ramsar Convention, the ecology, botany, zoology, limnology or hydrology of the wetland needs to be considered before including it in the list. The inclusion will ensure added funds and training for the maintenance of the site for the staff and indigenous people.

“I’m glad that the Lonar crater is now officially a Ramsar Site. Having seen it for the first time in 2004, it is a sight that captivates everyone. It has its own significance in the world of biodiversity, tourism and geology,” tweeted Aditya Thackeray, environment and tourism minister of Maharashtra.

The Lonar lake was declared as the 41st Ramsar site along with Sur Saroivar or Keetham Lake in Uttar Pradesh. The first site from Maharashtra to enter the list was Nandur Madhameshwar in 2019. Uttar Pradesh has the highest contribution from India to the list with eight and Punjab has the second highest with six sites in the list.