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The Annaiwilundawa wetland in the Puttalam District,142 km north of Colombo, has been proposed for international recognition as the second Ramsar site in Sri Lanka. The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. There are presently 123 Contracting Parties to the Convention, with 1060 wetland sites, totalling 80.6 million hectares, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. The conservation of Wetlands came into force in Sri Lanka in 1990. Presently Sri Lanka has one site designated as a Wetland of International Importance in Bundala, with a surface area of 6,210 hectares. The Annaiwilundawa tanks are situated in the Puttalam district between the coast and the Negombo Puttalam main road. The tanks comprise a cluster of small, shallow, ancient reservoirs built to serve the irrigation requirements of the area. The areas surrounding these tanks with shrub jungle, are noted for their natural scenic beauty. A site report prepared by the Wetland Conservation Project in 1996 states that this wetland scores high with respect to bio-diversity and contains many endemic as well as threatened species; particularly birds. A wide array of migratory as well as resident bird species, some of which have breeding colonies here. According to the report waterbirds dominate in number, with upto 3000 ducks at a time. So far the Ceylon Bird Club has identified 137 different species of bird including the endemic Ceylon Jungle Fowl. The Annaiwilundawa wetland is particularly important, as very rare birds believed to have been extinct in Sri Lanka or strictly confined to one or two geographic locations have been sighted here. The Glossy Ibis from India is one such example.
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External Internet links: 
The
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
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