Ramsar Site — Tamil Nadu | Designated 19 August 2002
State
Tamil Nadu
Location of the Ramsar site
Area
385km²
Designated wetland area
Designated
2002
19 August 2002
Region
South
Biogeographic region
★Important bird area, flamingo habitat
A coastal area consisting of shallow waters, shores, sand bars, intertidal flats, and mangrove forests. Seasonal lagoons and salt pans provide critical flamingo habitat.
Karikili Bird Sanctuary
Designated: 2022 · 0.58 km²
Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest
Designated: 2022 · 12 km²
Pichavaram Mangrove Forest and Kodiyampalayam Mangrove Forest
Designated: 2022 · 15 km²
Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve
Designated: 2022 · 527 km²
★ First marine biosphere reserve in India
Vembannur Wetland Complex
Designated: 2022 · 0.20 km²
Vellode Bird Sanctuary
Designated: 2022 · 0.77 km²
Other Ramsar sites in the South region:
Ramsar sites data sourced from the Ramsar Sites Information Service (RSIS) and Wikipedia. Coordinates are approximate for most sites. Site descriptions are curated summaries. Last updated: 2026.