Odisha's Satkosia Gorge designated as Ramsar site

BHUBANESWAR: Satkosia Gorge in Angul district has been designated as a Ramsar site. It will be the third Ramsar site of Odisha after Chilika Lake and Bhitarkanika Mangroves. Designation of these sites will help in conservation and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources.
This time India has added 10 more wetlands designated as Ramsar sites to make a total 64 sites in the country. These 10 new sites include six sites in Tamil Nadu and one each in Odisha, Goa, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
Official sources said the aim of the Ramsar list is to develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits.
Satkosia spreads along the magnificent gorge over the mighty river Mahanadi. It became a wildlife sanctuary in 1976. It supports a rich ecosystem, representing a diverse population of floral and faunal species. This wetland is the meeting point of two biogeographic regions of India- the Deccan Peninsula and the Eastern Ghats, contributing immense biodiversity.
In the description, the official statement said Satkosia Gorge is a mosaic of marshes and evergreen forests. The forests of these catchments play a vital role in the prevention of the gorge siltation. It also helps in maintaining a specific desirable depth of water crucial for the endangered gharial population and spawning of commercially important carp species, it added.
Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav in a tweet said, “Absolutely thrilled to inform that 10 more Indian wetlands have got Ramsar recognition as wetlands of international importance. This takes India’s tally of Ramsar sites to 64. Special congratulations to Odisha, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.”
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Satkosia (wildlife) in its twitter handle said, “Good news…Satkosia is declared as a Ramsar site. The unique habitat of Satkosia attracts endangered Indian Skimmer, home to the southernmost distribution of endangered gharials.”