World Wetlands Day: In Andhra Pradesh, efforts on to save a unique wetland near Visakhapatnam

World Wetlands Day: In Andhra Pradesh, efforts on to save a unique wetland near Visakhapatnam

Subject :Environment

Section :Places in news

Context: The State Forest Department, in association with environmental groups, are taking steps to preserve Kondakarlava wetland, the second largest freshwater lake of Andhra Pradesh.

More on the News:

• A group of environmentalists documented four smooth-coated otters in the Kondakarlava wetland in 2021.
• This was the first documented record of the smooth-coated otters.

World Wetlands Day

• World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2nd February annually to mark the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2nd 1971.
• It is celebrated to raise awareness among all sections of the society about values and functions of wetlands, utilization of their resources and their environmental importance.
• The theme for 2023 is ‘Wetland restoration’ – This year’s theme highlights the urgent need to prioritize wetland restoration, and calls on an entire generation to take steps to revive and restore degraded wetlands. The theme builds on – and contributes to the efforts to heal the planet as championed by the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Kondakarla Ava lake

• Kondakarlava is located about 48 kilometres from
• It is the second largest freshwater wetland of Andhra Pradesh, yet to be declared as a protected site.
• Spread across 750 acres, it is host to over 150 species of birds and has a rich biodiversity with a range of fish, aquatic, animal and plant species.
• The Sanctuary comprises a unique and endangered forest type and the wet evergreen forests. It is recognized as an Eco Tourism destination.

Smooth-coated otter

• The smooth-coated otter is an otter species occurring in most of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with a disjunct population in Iraq.
• It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
• Smooth-coated otter is characterized by a very smooth, sleek pelage.
• These otters have generally been described as fish specialist. They are strong swimmers and hunt in groups. When fishing they travel in a V-formation going upstream.
• Their numbers are said to be declining with few breeding populations reported from Corbett and Dudhwa Tiger Reserves and Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in the north, Kaziranga National Park in the northeast, Sunderbans, Bhitarkanika and Coringa in the eastern coast; and Periyar Tiger Reserve and the Nagarhole National Park in the south.
• Major threats to Asian otter population are loss of wetland habitats due to construction of largescale hydroelectric projects, conversion of wetlands for settlements and agriculture, reduction in prey biomass, poaching and contamination of waterways by pesticides.