India Adds Two New Ramsar Sites in Bihar — Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel; Tally Reached 93 in September 2025; Current Count 98
AQuick answer
Gokul Jalashay (Buxar) and Udaipur Jheel (W. Champaran) added as Ramsar Sites; India's total reached 93 then; the current official Ramsar count is 98, and Bihar later added Gogabil Lake.
Key facts
India added two new Ramsar Sites in Bihar — Gokul Jalashay (Buxar district) and Udaipur Jheel (West Champaran district) — taking national tally to 93
India consolidated its top position in Asia for Ramsar designations
Gokul Jalashay (448 hectares) is an oxbow lake on southern edge of Ganga; home to 50+ bird species and acts as flood buffer
Udaipur Jheel (319 hectares) has 280+ plant species including endemic herb Alysicarpus roxburghianus; wintering ground for ~35 migratory bird species including Vulnerable Common Pochard
Bihar now has 5 Ramsar sites with these additions
India added two new Ramsar Sites in Bihar — Gokul Jalashay in Buxar district and Udaipur Jheel in West Champaran district — taking the national tally to 93 wetlands of international importance at that time, consolidating India's top position in Asia for Ramsar designations. PM Modi hailed the milestone.
Gokul Jalashay (448 hectares) is an oxbow lake on the southern edge of the Ganga that acts as a flood buffer and is home to 50+ bird species. Udaipur Jheel (319 hectares) is an oxbow lake surrounding a village with 280+ plant species, including the endemic herb Alysicarpus roxburghianus, and is an important wintering ground for approximately 35 migratory bird species including the Vulnerable Common Pochard. Bihar had five Ramsar sites after these additions; Gogabil Lake in Bihar was later designated India's 94th Ramsar site.
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Mains angle
Q: Discuss India's addition of two new Ramsar Sites in Bihar — Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel — raising the national tally to 93, and examine the ecological significance of oxbow lakes as flood buffers and migratory bird habitats.
Answer (50 words):
India added Gokul Jalashay in Buxar and Udaipur Jheel in West Champaran as Ramsar Sites, raising the tally to 93 and giving Bihar five. Gokul Jalashay, a 448-hectare oxbow lake, buffers Ganga floods and hosts 50 plus bird species; 319-hectare Udaipur Jheel supports 280 plus plants and 35 migratory species.
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Biodiversity & ConservationScience & TechnologyMajor Rivers & LakesGeography of India
Which two new Ramsar Sites were added in Bihar in 2025?
India added **Gokul Jalashay (Buxar district)** and **Udaipur Jheel (West Champaran district)** in Bihar, raising India's total to **93 Ramsar Sites** — the highest in Asia.
What is India's total Ramsar Sites count after the 2025 additions?
India's **Ramsar Sites count rose to 93** with the addition of **Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel** in Bihar — maintaining India's top position in Asia for wetland designations.
In which districts are Bihar's new Ramsar Sites?
**Gokul Jalashay** is in **Buxar district** and **Udaipur Jheel** is in **West Champaran district** of Bihar — designated as Ramsar Sites in 2025 to take India's total to 93.
What is India's Asia ranking for Ramsar Site designations?
India holds the **top position in Asia** with **93 Ramsar-designated wetlands** as of 2025. The latest additions are **Gokul Jalashay (Buxar)** and **Udaipur Jheel (West Champaran)** in Bihar.
What are Ramsar Sites?
**Ramsar Sites** are wetlands of international importance under the **Ramsar Convention**. India's **93rd designation** with two Bihar sites — Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel — consolidates its position as Asia's leader in Ramsar-protected wetlands.
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