Udaipur’s ‘bird village’ set to be declared wetland

• Menar in Udaipur district is set to be notified as Rajasthan's new wetland.
• This will pave the way for getting the Ramsar site status for this rural heartland of the Mewar region.
• It is recognised as the “bird village” following community-driven conservation efforts

About Bird Village

• The villagers in Menar have built a healthy ecosystem for birds during the last four years with activities such as patrolling, rescue of injured birds and reporting any attempts for poaching.
• The volunteers known as Pakshi Mitras (friends of birds) were maintaining the lakes as a safe haven for birds.
• More than 150 species of local and migratory birds inhabit the two lakes in the winter season.
• They include greater flamingo, white-tailed lapwing, pelican, marsh harrier, bar headed goose, common teal, greenshank, pintail, wagtail, green sandpiper and red-wattled lapwing.
• Bird lovers and tourists flock to the village after the arrival of migratory birds from as far as Central Asia, Europe and Mongolia.

Recognition as Wetland & its significance

• The State government's Forest Department has initiated the process for notification of Menar as a wetland,
• It will recognise its role in the storage of sediment and nutrients and enable the local authorities to maintain the Brahma and Dhandh lakes.
• With the status of wetland, the two lakes will be strengthened for increasing vegetation of aquatic plants and protecting biodiversity.

Conclusion

• The undisturbed environment of the lakes would be a great attraction for experts and researchers to study the behaviour of birds and find out their migration routes

Exam track

Prelims takeaway

• Ramsar convention
• Ramsar sites in India
• Bird Village