Nalsarovar bird sanctuary is now a Ramsar Site. A wetland near Ahmedabad was declared a Ramsar site in 24 September 2012. Nalsarovar is a bird sanctuary since April 1969. It is the only Ramsar Site in Gujarat.
Nalsarovar consists of a 120.82-sq-km lake with shallow waters (4-5 ft) and muddy marshland. Distance between Ahmedabad and Nalsarovar is 60 km. Migratory birds mainly inhabit Nalsarovar wetland as there wintering ground. Nalsarovar is the largest wetland bird sanctuary in Gujarat, and one of the largest in India. Nalsarovar is a Bird Sanctuary since April 1969 and Nalsarovar is a Ramsar site since 24 September 2012.
More than 200 types of birds mainly waterfowl inhabit this lake and come from as far as Siberia. Nalsarovar in Gujarat is a bird watcher’s paradise, one can find rosy pelicans, lesser and greater flamingos, crakes, brahminy ducks, purple moorhen, herons, white storks, various species of bitterns and grebes etc in the lake. Best time to visit Nalsarovar is in winter between November and February. However, migratory birds starts arriving in October and stay until April but their population reaches its peak in mid winter. Best time to see the birds is early in the morning and in the evening.
Nalsarovar is among a few wetlands in the India who made it to internationally recognized ‘Ramsar’ site. A Ramsar site is the wetland recognized by the Ramsar Convention. Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. The Ramsar Convention was first signed in 1971 in the city of Ramsar in Iran. Therefore, the convention was named after it.
Nalsarovar bird sanctuary is a natural freshwater lake. It is the largest natural wetland in the Thar Desert Area. Moreover, it is the only Ramsar site in Gujarat. An average of 75,000 tourists visits Nalsarovar wetland annually. There are 25 more Ramsar sites in India other than Nalsarovar.
