NEW DELHI, October 12 — The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on Monday announced the formal designation of the Nagi and Nakti Bird Sanctuaries, located in the Jamui district of south Bihar, as Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, elevating India’s total network of designated Ramsar sites to 86.
According to ecological survey dossiers approved by the Ramsar Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland, both wetland complexes are artificial catchment reservoirs engineered originally for agricultural irrigation that now sustain an exceptionally diverse wintering avian refuge along the Central Asian Flyway (CAF). The habitats host globally significant congregations of Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus), Eurasian Wigeons, Northern Pintails, and vulnerable Indian Skimmers.
With this dual designation, Bihar expands its Ramsar footprint alongside the Kabartal (Kanwar Jheel) wetland in Begusarai. The Ministry confirmed that these ecosystems are integrated into the 'Amrit Dharohar' conservation framework, designed to generate nature-based livelihoods, eco-tourism revenue, and participatory water management for local village communities.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (adopted in Ramsar, Iran in 1971; entered into force in 1975; ratified by India in 1982), India's leading Ramsar states (Tamil Nadu leading with 16 sites, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 10), the Montreux Record register (currently listing Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan and Loktak Lake in Manipur), and the Amrit Dharohar scheme are foundational topics across UPSC Civil Services (GS-III: Biodiversity Conservation) and State PSC exams.