Our Wetlands & Our Wildlife

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Wetlands are a critical part of our natural ecosystem, even in a city like Bengaluru. These water bodies provide a wide range of benefits such as food and fibre, microclimate regulation, flood mitigation, erosion control,  groundwater recharge, and more. They also support many significant recreational, social, and cultural activities,  besides being a part of an enduring cultural heritage.  

The biological diversity of lakes and ponds is vast. They are home to innumerable species of birds, mostly endemic to the region. Many species are migratory, and the city plays host to some truly unusual visitors during the  ‘cold’ months. Reptiles and amphibians are integral to wetland habitat and the balance of this unique ecosystem is a strong indicator of the health of an area. 


 ‘The City of Lakes’ has lost a significant portion of its lakes in the last few decades. The alarming decline in number is such that 262 water bodies in the 1960s were reduced to 81 in five decades, of which only 34 are today recognised as live lakes. Even the surviving lakes have been encroached upon or turned into sewage dump yards.  Frequent flooding in the city is directly related to its loss of wetlands.




Wetland Species rescued by PfA as of June 2019



The decrease in the city's wetlands has invariably impacted the population of species that live in and around them. With PfA having rescued over 27,000 animals to date, only a mere 4% are wetland species.

If you see urban wildlife in need of a rescue, call us on +91 99000 25370 / +91 99803 39880.


Excerpts from - Living With The Wild, a Photographic Journey of PfA Bangalore! 

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