WULAR LAKE

Wular Lake (also spelt Wullar), One of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia, is in Bandipora district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by the Jhelum River. The lake's size varies seasonally from 12 to 100 square miles (30 to 260 square kilometers). Boating, water sports and water ski have recently been launched by the Government of India Tourism in collaboration with Kerala Tourism and J&K Tourism. The contract for the operation of the site was awarded in September 2011.

NATURAL HISTORY

The lake is one of the 23 Indian wetlands designated as a Ramsar site. However it faces environmental threats including the conversion of large parts of the lake's catchment areas into agriculture land, pollution from fertilizers and animal wastes, hunting of waterfowl and migratory birds and weed infestation in the lake itself.

Fish

Wular Lake is an important fish habitat, the main species being the Common carp (Cyprinus carpio), rosy barb (Barbus conchonius),mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis), Nemacheilus species, Crossocheilus latius, and various snowtrout species in the genera Schizopyge andSchizothorax. Snowtrout species identified in the lake include the Sattar Snow trout (Schizopyge curvifrons), Chirruh Snowtrout(Schizopyge esocinus), Schizothorax planifrons, Schizothorax macropogon, Schizothorax longipinus and Chush Snowtrout (Schizopyge niger).

Wular Lake, located in the Jammu and Kashmir region of northern India, is something of a mystery. The name Wular is believed to be a corruption of the Sanskrit word Ullola, meaning turbulent. Formed by tectonic activity, Wular Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia.Wular Lake may be regarded as the delta of the Jhelum in Kashmir.In its course from Kanabal to the Delta the fall of the river is 165 feet in the 30 miles,and 55 feet in the next 24 miles.From the Baramullathe fall is very slight. In December ,when the river is at its lowest, the average breadth is 210 feet and its mean depth is 9 feet. To the ordinary observer it would seem evident that the river arose from the grand spring of deep blue water at Vernag which bubbles up underneath a steep scrap of rock clothedwith pines, but the Hindus maintain that a spring a little Vernag, known as Vethvatru, has the honour of being the source of the great Kashmir River .

Fish from Wular Lake make up a significant part of the diet for many thousands of people living on its shores and elsewhere in the Kashmir Valley. More than eight thousand fishermen earn their livelihood from the lake, primarily fishing for the endemic Schizothoraxspecies and the non-native carp. Their catch comprises about 60 percent of the total yield of fish in Kashmir. Hundreds of other local villagers are employed by cooperative societies that trade the fish catch. More than 8,000 fishermen earn their livelihood from Wular Lake. Many other families harvest plants such as the grass Phragmites and the waterlily-like Nymphoides from the lake for animal fodder.

BirdS

The lake sustains a rich population of birds. Terrestrial birds observed around the lake include the Black-eared Kite, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Short-toed Eagle, Himalayan Golden Eagle, Himalayan Monal, Chukar Partridge, Koklass Pheasant, Rock Dove, Common Cuckoo, Alpine Swift, Indian Roller, Himalayan Woodpecker, Hoopoe, Barn Swallow, Golden Oriole and others.

RECOGNITION

In recognition of its biological, hydrological and socio-economic values, the lake was included in 1986 as a Wetland of National Importance under the Wetlands Programme of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India for intensive conservation and management purposes. Subsequently in 1990, it was designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.