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♤ Wetlands are areas of critical ecological significance: as they support biodiversity, support millions of people directly and indirectly, protect from storms, flood control, improve water quality, supply food, fiber and raw materials.
♤ India has totally 27,403 wetlands, of which 23,444 are inland wetlands and 3,959 are coastal wetlands. Wetlands occupy 18.4% of the country’s area of which 70% are under paddy cultivation.
♤ Natural wetlands in India range from high altitude wetlands in Himalayas; flood plains of the major river systems; saline and temporary wetlands of the arid and semi-arid regions; coastal wetlands such as lagoons, backwaters, estuaries, mangroves, swamps and coral reefs, and so on.
Do you know?
Kannimara teak is one of the largest living teak tree in the world. It has an amazing girth of 6.48m and a crown height of 48.75m It is believed to be around 400 years old.
According to the local tribal belief here when this tree was tried to cut down, the blood spurted out from the place of cut. This tree was being since then worshipped by the local tribes in Parambikulam as “Virgin tree”. Kannimara - ‘ Kanni’ means ‘Virgin’. This tree has been awarded ‘Mahavriksha Puraskar’ by the Government of India.