On World Earth Day, April 22, 2026, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav announced the designation of Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. With this addition, India's tally of Ramsar sites has risen to 99, bringing the country tantalisingly close to the historic 100-mark milestone, while Uttar Pradesh's share has reached 12 sites. Located 17 kilometres from Aligarh city, the freshwater Shekha Jheel covers approximately 25 hectares and was formed following the construction of the Upper Ganga Canal in 1852, which carries water from Hapur to Narora. The sanctuary lies on the Central Asian Flyway and serves as a critical wintering ground for migratory waterfowl such as Bar-headed Goose, Painted Stork, Common Teal, Northern Pintail and Common Pochard. Field surveys conducted by the Bombay Natural History Society and the state forest department have recorded 249 bird species in the wetland's vicinity, of which 62 are wetland-dependent. Beyond avifauna, the lake supports terrestrial mammals including blue bull (nilgai), blackbuck, five-striped palm squirrel and Indian mongoose. The Ramsar Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland, processed the dossier under Resolution VIII.13 criteria for representative wetlands and species-richness. The designation imposes wise-use obligations on the state government and unlocks technical assistance under the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems.