Karbartal: 39th Ramsar Site Of India

• 02 Nov 2020

• Kabartal, also known as Kanwar Jheel covers 2,620 hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains, in Begusarai district of the state of Bihar.
• The site acts as a vital flood buffer for the region besides providing livelihood opportunities to the local communities.
• As a habitat to biodiversity, the wetland supports about 165 plant, 394 animals and around 50 fish species.
• Kabartal is also an important stopover along the Central Asian Flyway, with 58 migratory water birds using it as a wintering site.
• Besides, critically endangered vultures including red-headed vulture and white-rumped vulture also use the site as a habitat.
• After designating Asan Conservation Reserve (ACR), Dehradun, Uttarakhand and Kabartal Wetland, Begusarai, Bihar, as Ramsar sites, the total number of Ramsar Sites in India is 39, the highest in South Asia.