• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2004 baseline):

The Gharana wetland is important for migratory birds and more than 20,000 birds are seen during winter. It is located about 30 km from Jammu city, extending to the Pakistan border west of Gharana village. This wetland is 8 km from Ranbir Singhpora town. The State Government owns the Indian part of the wetland.

AVIFAUNA: No much is known about the bird life except that it is a good habitat for waterfowl. There is a need to conduct bird surveys. This year more than 2000 Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus were recorded (T. Shawl and I. Suhail pers. comm 2004).

OTHER KEY FAUNA: The mammalian fauna of the wetland environs includes Spotted Deer or Chital Axis axis, Barking Deer Muntiacus muntjak, Nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus and Wild Boar Sus scrofa.

MAIN THREATS: Military activities; Invasive species; Poaching; Encroachment.

Being located on the border, shelling by security people across the border is a constant problem. The wetland is infested with Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes and Typha. While the later may not be an issue as it is a native plant, the former is one of the most pernicious invasive weeds of India and has destroyed many wetlands.

Key contributor: Tahir Shawl.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gharana Wetland Reserve (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gharana-wetland-reserve-iba-india on 26/12/2024.