AN ECOLOGICAL APPRAISAL OF WETLANDS AND WATER BIRDS IN DISTRICT SHAHJAHANPUR, UTTAR PRADESH *1 2 3 Vipul Maurya , Sumit Nautiyal , Adarsh Kumar 1,2 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 3 Former Divisional Forest Officer, Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh 1 2 3 Email Id: vipulforestry@gmail.com , snautiyal1990@gmail.com , adarsh2468@gmail.com * (Corresponding author: Vipul Maurya) waterlogged regions, rivers, streams, reservoirs, and barrage cover 5.1 percent of the geographical area. The UP wetlands have a diverse range of resource-producing and resource-consuming vegetation and animals. The most serious risks to these species, particularly in India, include the loss and degradation of wetlands owing to agricultural expansion, industrial growth, river basin development, high pesticide usage, and other causes (Jha, 2013). A total of five wetlands were examined within the Shahjahanpur district. These wetlands can be found around the Garra and Gomti rivers. On the district maps given in Annexure, you can see where these wetlands are located. Following is a list of the birds seen at these locations based on primary direct sightings. Wetlands are increasingly being recognized for their key role in ecology and natural processes that extend well beyond their physical limits. They outperform river estuaries, tropical rain forests, and even coral reefs in terms of biomass production (Ricklefs and Miller 2000). Wetlands and other types of deep waters are estimated to cover around 6% of the Earth's surface and offer a home for up to 20% of the planet's diverse living forms (Mitsch and Gosselink, 1993; Gopal, 1977). Wetlands are also referred to as "biological supermarkets" from this feature (Gawler 2000, Prasad et al., 2002). In the state of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), wetlands viz., lakes, tank, ponds, oxbow lakes, cut-off meanders, riverine wetlands, Introduction 27 ISSN: 0528-9122 | Cheetal Vol 61 No. 2 (2024) Key words: Wetland, Shahjahanpur, Birds, Uttar Pradesh. We conducted an ornithological survey of five wetlands in Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. The study's objectives were to know the current status of water birds and associated threats to the wetland. During the survey, a total of 32 water birds were recorded. Among these, five species are listed under Schedule 1, indicating they are afforded the highest level of protection due to their vulnerable status. Additionally, three species have been classified as Near Threatened. Threats to these wetlands and conservation strategies are highlighted. ABSTRACT