Arunachal’s Glaw Lake Becomes India’s 101st Ramsar Site

Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh has been designated a Ramsar Site, making it the state’s first wetland to receive international recognition under the Ramsar Convention.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced this on Monday (August 3, 2026).

With the addition of Glaw Lake, India’s Ramsar Site tally has risen to 101, the highest in South Asia, The Times of India reported.

Located in the Lohit district inside the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, Glaw Lake is a freshwater wetland situated at an elevation of 1,168 metres.

It is about 18-20 km from Wakro and is surrounded by dense evergreen forests and rugged hills.

The lake covers about 82 hectares, according to the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India.

The lake had been proposed for Ramsar recognition by the Arunachal Pradesh government.

A state climate-change report said the proposal was under process with the Union Environment Ministry.

At the same time, a Wetlands International South Asia team conducted a field assessment of Glaw Lake in December 2024 to study its ecological, hydrological and socio-economic significance.

Rich Biodiversity

Glaw Lake forms part of a wider and relatively undisturbed landscape within Kamlang Tiger Reserve, which covers 783 sq km and shares a boundary with Namdapha Tiger Reserve.

The reserve is home to several threatened and rare species, including the Royal Bengal Tiger, clouded leopard, hoolock gibbon and white-bellied heron.

The wider Kamlang landscape contains tropical and subtropical forests, bamboo forests, Himalayan moist temperate forests and alpine scrub. Around 150 tree species have been recorded in the tiger reserve, along with a range of orchids and other rare plants. The reserve’s wetlands also provide habitat for otters, turtles and several bird species.

The lake is also part of an important hydrological landscape. Kamlang, Lang and Lati are among the rivers associated with the reserve and ultimately form part of the Lohit-Brahmaputra river system.

A 2024-25 report of Arunachal Pradesh’s State Climate Change Cell had identified Glaw Lake as one of the wetlands proposed for Ramsar designation. The state has also been undertaking ground-truthing and demarcation of wetlands across Arunachal Pradesh, with more than 1,400 wetlands identified for assessment.

Sacred To The Mishmi Communities

Glaw Lake is significant not only for its biodiversity but also for its cultural importance to the Mishmi communities of the region.

The Kamlang Tiger Reserve authorities describe the lake as a sacred place associated with the water deities and spirits, known locally as Baruws. Traditional beliefs prohibit polluting the lake and discourage drawing water from it. The Mishmi communities have traditionally regarded lakes, rivers and mountains as sacred natural features.

This relationship between the local communities and the landscape has also been recognised as an important part of conservation in the region. The wider Kamlang landscape is inhabited mainly by Kaman and Taraon Mishmi communities.

Tourism Brings Both Opportunity And Risk.

Glaw Lake has long attracted trekkers and adventure tourists because of its remote location and scenic surroundings. Reaching the lake currently involves a difficult trek of about seven to eight hours from the motorable end of the route near Wakro.

The Lohit district administration lists trekking, hiking, fishing and photography among the potential activities around the lake.

The Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department has also identified trekking to Glaw Lake, wildlife photography and birding as ecotourism activities in Kamlang Tiger Reserve.

However, the Ramsar recognition also highlights the need for careful management of tourism. A Wildlife Institute of India assessment of Kamlang Tiger Reserve had earlier pointed out that tourist infrastructure around Glaw Lake remained limited and that visitor services, including guides and porters, needed to be better organised.

The challenge now will be to improve access and create livelihood opportunities for local communities without turning the remote wetland into a heavily commercialised tourist destination.

The Ramsar designation gives Glaw Lake international recognition as an important wetland. More importantly, it focuses on maintaining the ecological character of the lake and its surrounding habitat while ensuring that development in the area does not undermine the very ecosystem that makes the lake worthy of protection.

India’s latest addition, therefore, means more than just another number on the Ramsar list. For Arunachal Pradesh, it marks the formal recognition of one of its lesser-known wetlands and places Glaw Lake firmly on the country’s conservation map.

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