KARNATAKA Ranganathittu to be pitched as a potential Ramsar wetland site

The renowned islets of Ranganathittu on the banks of the river Cauvery in Srirangapatna will be pitched to be recognised as a Ramsar wetland site of international importance.

India is a signatory to the Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention, which was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971. The convention provides a framework for conservation of wetlands and their resources. There are currently 26 sites in India recognised as Ramsar wetland sites of international importance, but none of them are in Karnataka.

Hence, the Forest Department will promote Ranganathittu and try to seek the tag. Deputy Conservator of Forests V. Yedukondalu told The Hindu that Ranganathittu has the potential to be recognised as a Ramsar wetland site as it meets some of the criteria pertaining to local flora, fauna and ecology.

He said that according to the framework of the convention, a waterbody should meet any one of the seven criteria spelt out by it to be declared a wetland of international importance. One criterion is that it should support 20,000 or more water fowls; another is that it should regularly support 1% of the population of one species or sub-species of water bird. “Even fulfilling one criterion is sufficient to be declared as a Ramsar site. Ranganathittu meets three,” Mr. Yedukondalu said.

The official said the sanctuary supports more than 1% of the world population of spot-billed pelicans — as against a global population of nearly 17,000, Ranganathittu supports about 1,000 of them. “Similarly, the total population of painted storks population is between 15,000 and 20,000, but there are more than 1,000 of these birds at Ranganathittu,” he said. Besides, the sanctuary supports mugger crocodiles and a host of other species of birds, he added.