(Feature Image: Dead fish floating on Ashtamudi Lake at Kadavur in Kollam in last week of Oct. 2025)

“Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage” is theme for global World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2026 celebrated annually on Feb 2. On the occasion, we share reports about 21 Ramsar wetlands from various Indian states underlining the worsening plight of Ramsar sites in India. This does not necessarily mean that the Ramsar wetlands not listed here are in any better state, it only means that media attention has not brought their stories in public domain with sufficient prominence. The state of Ramsar wetlands in India clearly shows complete lack of any governance in place to ensure that the Ramsar sites get protection from degradation, threats and destruction. Worryingly, even Ramsar Convention seems completely disinterested in doing anything to ensure protection of the wetlands that get Ramsar tag.