Why is it in the news?
Scientific study documented 12 species of pygmy grasshoppers in Ramsar-listed Kole wetlands.
Category: Environment
Important Points:
● Located in Thrissur and Malappuram districts, Kerala
● Known for 300-year-old paddy cultivation
● ‘Kole’ means ‘bumper crop’ in Malayalam
● Low-lying wetland with narrow central strip and pockets into cultivated land
● Subject to seasonal saltwater ingression
● Declared Ramsar Site in 2002
● Recognised as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International
● Third largest bird congregation site in India after Chilika Lake and Amipur Tank
● Falls under Central Asian Flyway