World Wetlands Day: India's Wetlands Crucial for Endangered Species, New Ramsar Sites Added

• World Wetlands Day, celebrated on February 2nd, highlights the critical role of India's wetlands as lifelines for endangered animals.
• Key species like Sarus cranes, Gangetic dolphins, smooth-coated otters, black-winged stilts, and Indian softshell turtles thrive in these unique ecosystems.
• Degraded wetlands are undergoing restoration through cleaning, native plant replanting, and hydrological management, with active community participation.
• India celebrates World Wetlands Day with awareness campaigns, clean-up drives, and educational programs emphasizing wetlands' role in climate change mitigation.
• Two new Ramsar sites, Patna Bird Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh) and Chhari-Dhand (Gujarat), have been added, bringing India's total to 98 protected wetlands.

Why It Matters: India's wetlands are vital for endangered species, with ongoing conservation efforts and new Ramsar sites enhancing protection.