Wetlands of North-Eastern India
Wetlands are the land transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. The term groups together a wide range of habitats that share a number of common features, the most important of which is continuous, seasonal or periodic standing water or saturated soils.
The Ramsar convention defined wetlands as "areas of marsh, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters". Wetlands all over the world are threatened directly due to reclamation for development activities, reduction in function due to pollution, water demand, change in hydrologic regime, over exploitation of wetland resources and also due to underlying causes such as market failure, information failure and intervention failure. In this scenario, fundamental knowledge on location, characteristics, functions, values, threats and assessments of status of wetlands are prerequisite for developing sustainable conservation programme for wetlands.
The North – eastern states of India harbor some of the spectacular and biologically rich wetlands of India. Some of these wetlands have been explored but most of them are still unknown. With increasing human pressure and prevalent underlying causes these wetlands are under increasing pressure. With increasing infrastructure development and other pressures in this region, there is a danger of losing this natural heritage, the species it supports, the ecosystem services it provides as well as the spiritual and cultural ties the local population has with these wetlands.
A short account of wetlands in north eastern states of India : Sikkim, Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura is provided below:
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh has 806 wetlands of the size 2.5 ha and above with an area of about 560 sq km). Arunachal has three Endangered and 14 Vulnerable fish species, two each of endangered and vulnerable and five near threatened species of freshwater turtles, and seven threatened and one near threatened species of birds. SACON study surveyed 18 wetlands and prioritized eight of these for designation as Ramsar sites. WWF-India National Consultation on high altitude wetlands, prioritized following wetlands from Tawang district: PT Tso, Oriangdukpu, Sangetsar and Paradise lake. Further field surveys by WWF-India team recorded that most of the water bodies found in high altitude area (lakes, marshes etc.) of West Kameng and Tawang districts are considered as sacred by the Monpa Buddhist Community settled in the area. Important among these is the Bangajang lake complex comprising around 10-12 lakes in Tawang district, and the stretch Gurchokto Gurjang in West Kameng district hosting some 6-7 good wetlands. Sangti marshes is an important wintering site for the highly endangered Black-necked Crane.
Assam
Assam, the sentinel of the east, hosts around 3500 freshwater wetlands of the size 2.25 ha and above, covering 1012.29 sq km. Most of these wetlands are in the floodplains of the rivers Brahmaputra and Barak and their tributaries. These wetlands are in form of beels, swamps and marshes hosting a rich array of flora and fauna. Two species of endemic aquatic plants, two critically endangered, seven endangered and 26 Vulnerable species of fishes, five near threatened, six vulnerable species of freshwater turtles. 133 species of birds have been recorded from the 35 major wetlands in Assam.
Manipur
Manipur is home to the Paradise flower-Shiroy lily (Lilium macklinae), which is not found elsewhere in the world and has the only habitat for Sangai, the Dancing deer in the famous wetland Keibul Lamjao national park. The State has 155 wetlands of 2.5 ha and above in size covering a total area of 529 sq km Manipur has seven endangered and 15 vulnerable species of fishes, one endangered ,two vulnerable and three near threatened species of freshwater turtles, and three threatened and two near threatened species of birds. Six wetlands were prioritized out of which Loktak lake is already a Ramsar site. The others are Pumlen pat, Ikop pat, Kharung pat, Zeilad lake complex and Waithou lake.
Meghalaya
Meghalaya has 98 wetlands of the size 2.25 ha and above, covering a total area of 22.21 sq
km.There are four Endangered and 14 Vulnerable species of fishes, eight species of freshwater turtles, two of which are Endangered, and two Near threatened species of birds. About forty seven species of wetland birds have been recorded. Three wetlands have been prioritized as potential ramsar sites, namely, Birbah lake, Umiam lake and Tasek lake complex. Some other important wetlands on priority list are Chidampong and Bolgisim, Kopilli reservoir, Umtru lake and Kyrdemkullai lake.
Mizoram
The State does not have large wetlands, the total area of wetlands of the size 2.25 ha and above is only 1.5 sq km. Mizoram has four endangered and 11 Vulnerable species of fishes, two endangered, three near-threatened and one vulnerable species of turtles and one each of threatened and near-threatened species of birds. Three wetlands namely, Palak dil, Mampui dil and Tam dil have been prioritized for designation as wetlands of national and international importance.
Nagaland
Wetlands cover around 9.16 sq km area in this narrow strip of rugged mountainous State.Four Endangered and 18 Vulnerable species of fishes, one each of an endangered and near threatened species of freshwater turtles and one threatened species of bird reported. Three wetlands namely,Shilloi lake, Doyang reservoir and Dzudu lake have been prioritized by SACON.
Sikkim
Sikkim has 160 wetlands of the size 2.25 ha and above, covering 19.85 sq km. These support four endangered and fifteen vulnerable species of fishes, three species of freshwater turtles- one of which is Vulnerable and one Near threatened, and two threatened species of birds. SACON study has prioritized four wetlands namely Thepley Tso, Khechiperi, Batangcho and Tsomgo lake. At a National Consultation on WWF-India, the following wetlands were prioritized:
1. West District Lake Complex (Phutso Karpo, Tso Domdo, Khecheopalri)
2. Tsomgo-Kupup-Snathang Complex
3. Khangehung Tso-Tso Lhamo-Suru Dongmar-Gyam Tsona Complex
Tripura
408 wetlands of 2.25 ha and above covering an area of 98.95 ha have been recorded. Tripura has two Endangered and 12 Vulnerable species of fishes, and one near-threatened species of bird.Dumbur lake and Rudrasagar lake have been prioritized of which Rudrasagar is already designated a Ramsar site. Trishna wetlands, Sattar Mia’s Haor, Batapura lake and College Tilla lake have been recommended for designation as community reserves.
Wetlands are the land transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. The term groups together a wide range of habitats that share a number of common features, the most important of which is continuous, seasonal or periodic standing water or saturated soils.
The Ramsar convention defined wetlands as "areas of marsh, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters". Wetlands all over the world are threatened directly due to reclamation for development activities, reduction in function due to pollution, water demand, change in hydrologic regime, over exploitation of wetland resources and also due to underlying causes such as market failure, information failure and intervention failure. In this scenario, fundamental knowledge on location, characteristics, functions, values, threats and assessments of status of wetlands are prerequisite for developing sustainable conservation programme for wetlands.
The North – eastern states of India harbor some of the spectacular and biologically rich wetlands of India. Some of these wetlands have been explored but most of them are still unknown. With increasing human pressure and prevalent underlying causes these wetlands are under increasing pressure. With increasing infrastructure development and other pressures in this region, there is a danger of losing this natural heritage, the species it supports, the ecosystem services it provides as well as the spiritual and cultural ties the local population has with these wetlands.
A short account of wetlands in north eastern states of India : Sikkim, Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura is provided below:
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh has 806 wetlands of the size 2.5 ha and above with an area of about 560 sq km). Arunachal has three Endangered and 14 Vulnerable fish species, two each of endangered and vulnerable and five near threatened species of freshwater turtles, and seven threatened and one near threatened species of birds. SACON study surveyed 18 wetlands and prioritized eight of these for designation as Ramsar sites. WWF-India National Consultation on high altitude wetlands, prioritized following wetlands from Tawang district: PT Tso, Oriangdukpu, Sangetsar and Paradise lake. Further field surveys by WWF-India team recorded that most of the water bodies found in high altitude area (lakes, marshes etc.) of West Kameng and Tawang districts are considered as sacred by the Monpa Buddhist Community settled in the area. Important among these is the Bangajang lake complex comprising around 10-12 lakes in Tawang district, and the stretch Gurchokto Gurjang in West Kameng district hosting some 6-7 good wetlands. Sangti marshes is an important wintering site for the highly endangered Black-necked Crane.
Assam
Assam, the sentinel of the east, hosts around 3500 freshwater wetlands of the size 2.25 ha and above, covering 1012.29 sq km. Most of these wetlands are in the floodplains of the rivers Brahmaputra and Barak and their tributaries. These wetlands are in form of beels, swamps and marshes hosting a rich array of flora and fauna. Two species of endemic aquatic plants, two critically endangered, seven endangered and 26 Vulnerable species of fishes, five near threatened, six vulnerable species of freshwater turtles. 133 species of birds have been recorded from the 35 major wetlands in Assam.
Manipur
Manipur is home to the Paradise flower-Shiroy lily (Lilium macklinae), which is not found elsewhere in the world and has the only habitat for Sangai, the Dancing deer in the famous wetland Keibul Lamjao national park. The State has 155 wetlands of 2.5 ha and above in size covering a total area of 529 sq km Manipur has seven endangered and 15 vulnerable species of fishes, one endangered ,two vulnerable and three near threatened species of freshwater turtles, and three threatened and two near threatened species of birds. Six wetlands were prioritized out of which Loktak lake is already a Ramsar site. The others are Pumlen pat, Ikop pat, Kharung pat, Zeilad lake complex and Waithou lake.
Meghalaya
Meghalaya has 98 wetlands of the size 2.25 ha and above, covering a total area of 22.21 sq
km.There are four Endangered and 14 Vulnerable species of fishes, eight species of freshwater turtles, two of which are Endangered, and two Near threatened species of birds. About forty seven species of wetland birds have been recorded. Three wetlands have been prioritized as potential ramsar sites, namely, Birbah lake, Umiam lake and Tasek lake complex. Some other important wetlands on priority list are Chidampong and Bolgisim, Kopilli reservoir, Umtru lake and Kyrdemkullai lake.
Mizoram
The State does not have large wetlands, the total area of wetlands of the size 2.25 ha and above is only 1.5 sq km. Mizoram has four endangered and 11 Vulnerable species of fishes, two endangered, three near-threatened and one vulnerable species of turtles and one each of threatened and near-threatened species of birds. Three wetlands namely, Palak dil, Mampui dil and Tam dil have been prioritized for designation as wetlands of national and international importance.
Nagaland
Wetlands cover around 9.16 sq km area in this narrow strip of rugged mountainous State.Four Endangered and 18 Vulnerable species of fishes, one each of an endangered and near threatened species of freshwater turtles and one threatened species of bird reported. Three wetlands namely,Shilloi lake, Doyang reservoir and Dzudu lake have been prioritized by SACON.
Sikkim
Sikkim has 160 wetlands of the size 2.25 ha and above, covering 19.85 sq km. These support four endangered and fifteen vulnerable species of fishes, three species of freshwater turtles- one of which is Vulnerable and one Near threatened, and two threatened species of birds. SACON study has prioritized four wetlands namely Thepley Tso, Khechiperi, Batangcho and Tsomgo lake. At a National Consultation on WWF-India, the following wetlands were prioritized:
1. West District Lake Complex (Phutso Karpo, Tso Domdo, Khecheopalri)
2. Tsomgo-Kupup-Snathang Complex
3. Khangehung Tso-Tso Lhamo-Suru Dongmar-Gyam Tsona Complex
Tripura
408 wetlands of 2.25 ha and above covering an area of 98.95 ha have been recorded. Tripura has two Endangered and 12 Vulnerable species of fishes, and one near-threatened species of bird.Dumbur lake and Rudrasagar lake have been prioritized of which Rudrasagar is already designated a Ramsar site. Trishna wetlands, Sattar Mia’s Haor, Batapura lake and College Tilla lake have been recommended for designation as community reserves.
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