Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary

About Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is a wildlife sanctuary and a reservoir located in the Medak district of Telangana.
• Originally a crocodile sanctuary, today more than 70 species of birds are spotted here, and is home to the vulnerable species of mugger crocodile.
• The sanctuary follows the course of river Manjeera, a tributary of Godavari, and abuts the Manjeera reservoir.
  • It is a man-made reservoir that provides water for irrigation and also drinking water for the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
  • The reservoir has nine small islands. These islands contain extensive marshy fringes, which act as nesting sites for water birds. Additionally, thick cover of trees also provides nesting spots for birds.
• Vegetation: Dry Savannah type of vegetation is found in the sanctuary. The reservoir supports both submergent and emergent types of vegetation.
• Flora: Being a freshwater ecosystem, the sanctuary is home to many plant species likeTypha, Babool, Prosopis, Ipomoea and Acacia Ipomea, Vallisneria, Eichhornia, and Reeds, among others.
• Fauna:
  • The sanctuary is a riverine habitat supporting mugger crocodile and fresh water turtles.
  • The sanctuary is home to prawns, molluscs, and fishes like catla, rohu, murrel, eel, karugu, and chidwa.
  • The Indian hare, wild boar, mongoose, and jackal are also present.

Q1: What is the Ramsar Convention?

It is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites. It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the convention was signed in 1971.

Source: 'Hidden gem': Manjeera wildlife sanctuary in Sangareddy might become Telangana's first Ramsar site