February 2, or the World Wetlands Day, aims at spreading global awareness around the significance that wetlands play for the planet and its people. It was also the date when the Convention on Wetlands was signed and adopted on February 2, 1971, in Iran's Ramsar city.

So, what are wetlands, you ask? These are marshy, swampy and water-saturated natural lands that hold a great significance in sheltering wildlife, as well as enhancing the eco-tourism of the place they are located in. Wetlands, lying along the banks of rivers, lakes and coastal regions and teeming with rich biodiversity, have lately been greatly exploited.

Today, we talk of wetlands in Indore, with this year's World Wetlands Day theme being 'wetlands and human wellbeing'.

With Madhya Pradesh sporting four Ramsar sites, including its first 'The Upper Lake', now Bhoj Wetland or Bada Talab (declared a Ramsar site in 2002), Indore hosts two of them. In 2022, two water bodies in Indore, namely Yashwant Sagar lake and Sirpur lake, were listed under the Ramsar Convention.

If you're wondering what Ramsar Convention is, it is a global treaty that focuses on wetland conservation specifically. The wetlands gain international importance, once declared a Ramsar site. India is one of the contracting parties to the Ramsar Convention and the total number of Ramsar sites here stands at 75.

If you're a nature enthusiast, seeking experiences in the lap of fresh air and serenity, here's your chance to visit some of these beautiful wetlands. Check out the list below and bookmark them for a visit on February 2!

A paradise for bird watchers, Sirpur Lake was also Indore's first Ramsar Site. Along with the sights of flamingoes and some hundreds of migratory birds flocking here every winter, its rich historical connection, the lake appears breathtaking during the golden sunrise and sunset hours.

This biodiversity-rich lake, located on the Indore-Khandwa stretch in the city, holds a total area 400 hectares. Yet again an ideal area for morning and evening walks, Bilawali Talaab (Lake) is graced with hundreds of birds visiting the place.

With a recorded 58 species of avian fauna, Indore's Pipliyapala Lake has developed into a famed regional park. The wetland is a haven for bird lovers, and also holds food stalls, boating activites and more. Photographers, get your telephoto lenses out!

This little pond, referred to as 'Nipaniya Pond', qualifies as a swimming lake in Indore. Located in Nipaniya, it is a 3.37 hectares water-stressed wetland, well known for the flocks of birds that migrate here.

Aesthetically pleasing, panoramic and home to endangered bird species like the Sarus Crane, Indore's Yashwant Sagar is a Ramsar site supporting around 200 bird species and more than 30 fish species. Located on Gambhir river, some 26 kms west of Indore, near Hatod village, the wetland is also an Important Bird Area (IBA).