From high-altitude glacial bogs and riverine floodplain oxbows to marshy Tarai swamps, Uttarakhand’s wetlands and aquatic ecosystems are indispensable biodiversity sanctuaries. Acting as natural sponges that regulate monsoon floods, recharge groundwater, and filter river systems, these habitats provide breeding grounds for endangered riverine species such as the Golden Mahseer, freshwater otters, and hundreds of species of trans-Himalayan migratory birds.
Asan Conservation Reserve: Uttarakhand's First Ramsar Site
Designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2020, the 444-hectare Asan Conservation Reserve at the confluence of the Asan and Yamuna rivers in Dehradun supports over 330 species of birds, including globally threatened species like the Baer's Pochard and White-rumped Vulture.
Jhilmil Jheel: Sanctuary of the Swamp Deer
Located in the floodplains of the Ganga in Haridwar district, Jhilmil Jheel is a 3,783-hectare conservation reserve established to protect the last surviving population of the endangered Barasingha (Swamp Deer) in Uttarakhand.
The Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora)
Known as the "Tiger of the Himalayan Rivers," the Golden Mahseer thrives in the clean, oxygenated, rocky rapids of the Kali, Ramganga, Kosi, and Nayar rivers. The state has pioneered community-based catch-and-release conservation angling to protect this magnificent species.
High-Altitude Alpine Peatlands
Above the treeline, alpine bogs and peat meadows (such as around Kedartal and Vasuki Tal) trap carbon and moisture, acting as natural filtration sponges that ensure the continuous year-round flow of headwater streams.