Q. Consider the following pairs

Wetlands       :       Confluence of rivers

  1. Harike Wetlands        :        Confluence of Beas and Satluj/Sutlej  
  2. Keoladeo Ghana National Park    :        Confluence of Banas and Chambal 
  3. Kolleru Lake    :      Confluence of Musi and Krishna 

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

  • 1 only
  • 2 and 3 only
  • 1 and 3 only
  • 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 1 only

Harike Wetland
  • It is one of the largest man-made wetlands of northern India.
  • This wetland shares its area with the Tarntaran, Ferozpur, and Kapurthala districts of Punjab.
  • It came into existence after the construction of a barrage near the confluence of rivers Sutlej and Beas in 1952. 
  • It is also a Ramsar site.
  • Harike is a significant site for birds migrating from across the international frontiers.
  • The wetland area is spread over about 41 km2 and supports more than 400 avian species.
  • Harike also harbours endangered aquatic mammalian as well as reptilian fauna like the Indus river dolphin, smooth-coated otter, and seven species of rare freshwater turtles.
Keoladeo Ghana National Park
  • It is a man-made and man-managed wetland in Rajasthan. It is also declared a World Heritage site.
  • It is situated at the confluence of the Gambhir and Banganga rivers. 
  • It was designated as a Ramsar site under the Wetland Convention in October 1981.
  • There is open grassland that provides a habitat for breeding, wintering, and staging migratory birds.
  • The 29 km2 (11 sq mi) reserve is locally known as Ghana. 
  • These diverse habitats are home to approximately 366 bird species, 379 floral species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, 5 species of lizards, 7 amphibian species, 7 turtle species, and a variety of other invertebrates.
Kolleru Lake
  • It is a freshwater lake in Andhra Pradesh.
  • It was previously a lagoon.
  • It was designated a wetland of international importance in November 2002 under the international Ramsar Convention.
  • It lies between the Godavari and Krishna river deltas.
  • Many birds migrate here in winters, such as Siberian cranes, ibis, and painted storks.
  • The lake was an important habitat for an estimated 20 million residents and migratory birds, including the grey or spot-billed pelican.