Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary:
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Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Uttar Pradesh.
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It is a freshwater marsh and is the largest natural floodplain wetland of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
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A freshwater marsh is a non-tidal, non-forested marsh wetland that contains fresh water and is continuously or frequently flooded.
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The Sanctuary was established in 1980 and is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
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It is declared as an “eco-sensitive zone” which extends up to a kilometre around its boundary.
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The sanctuary serves as a natural habitat for the state bird, Sarus. It also provides a wintering ground for over 25 species that migrate on the Central Asian Flyway, some of which are endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), the vulnerable greater spotted eagle (Aquila clanga) among others.
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The sanctuary also supports 45 species of fish such as vulnerable European carp (Cyprinus carpio) and the catfish Wallago attu, and the near-threatened Gangetic ailia (Ailia coila) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix).