India’s Ramsar Sites Rise to 80 as 5 Wetlands Added to The Global List of Wetlands of International Importance under Ramsar Convention

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Wetland	State	Features
Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve	Karnataka	Humanmade Village Irrigation Tank built centuries back. Home to Painted Stork and Black-headed Ibis.
Aghanashini Estuary	Karnataka	Formed at the confluence of Aghanashini River with Arabian sea. Traditional fish farming in the estuarine rice fields (locally known as Gazni rice fields).
Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve	Karnataka	Human-made wetland constructed to store rainwater for irrigation purposes. One of the largest wintering grounds for the Bar-headed goose in Southern India.
Karaivetti Bird sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	Home to Pin-tailed duck, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Eurasian Wigeon, Common teal and Cotton teal.
Longwood Shola Reserve Forest	Tamil Nadu	Forested wetlands serve as habitats for Black-chinned Nilgiri Laughing thrush, Nilgiri Blue Robin, Nilgiri Wood-pigeon.

Ramsar Convention adopted in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
- A wetland must meet at least 1 of 9 criteria such as regularly supports 20,000 or more water birds, or conserving biological diversity etc.
- India ratified this Convention in 1982 (Tamil Nadu have maximum number of Ramsar Sites).