Haiderpur Wetland added to Ramsar site.

Why in news?

• Uttar Pradesh’s Haiderpur wetland has been added to the list of Indian wetlands of international importance.

About Haiderpur Wetland

• The human-made Haiderpur wetland spreads over an area of 6,908 hectares in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. Formed in 1984 on a floodplain of the River Ganga on the Madhya Ganga Barrage, the wetland is located within the boundaries of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary.
• In terms of supporting life, the wetland is a habitat for numerous animals and plant species. It homes more than 30 species of plants, over 300 species of birds including 102 waterbirds, more than 40 fish, and more than ten mammal species. Further, it is home to more than 15 globally threatened species such as the critically endangered gharial, endangered hog deer, black-bellied tern, steppe eagle, Indian skimmer, and gold mahseer.
• According to the Ramsar Convention, wetlands are land areas saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally. Inland wetlands include marshes, ponds, lakes, rivers, floodplains, and swamps. The coastal wetlands include saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons, and coral reefs. And, human-made wetlands include fishponds, rice paddies, and saltpans. For instance, Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest wetland in Haryana is a human-made freshwater wetland.