This triangular form Harike Lake has its pointed end in west, a canal on one side, Dussi Bund shaping the second side and the third side is a main road. Amritsar city is connected with Bhatinda, Ferozpur and Faridkot by a national main road by way of Harike barrage. The world wide rare species and more than 20,000 thousands ducks have been documented at Harike Lake throughout the highest migratory season. More than 200 other bird varieties including local and traveling also visit during the winter season. Many additional and important varieties located here include Brown-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Pallas’s Gull, Black-headed Gull, White-winged Tern, Indian Skimmer, Cotton Pygmy Goose, White-rumped Vultures, Tufted Duck, Yellow-eyed Pigeon, Black-necked Grebe, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Crested grebe, Water cock, and White-browed Fantail. Bird buzzing program and investigations were undertaken by The BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) here from 1980 to 1985. WWF—India also included Harike Lake as a publication subject while conducting their series in 1994 on Ramsar Sites of India.

Biodiversity

The Harike wetland has an affluent and exceptional biodiversity including taxonomic group of amphibians, taxonomic group of invertebrates, many varieties of birds, many types of snakes, several kinds of Turtles and taxonomic group of fishes.

Harike Wetland

This biggest Harike wetland of northern India is also recognized as “Hari-Ke-Pattan” having Harike Lake, under water area of 4000ha, in its deeper portion and situated in the district of Tarn Taran Sahib in the Indian State of Punjab. This wetland and Harike Lake came into existence during the construction of head water works in 1953 across the River Sutlej. This head water works is situated downstream of the convergent streams of the rivers Sutlej and Beas. The well-off biodiversity of this wetland contributes a major role in sustaining the valuable hydrological equilibrium in this catchment for its immense focus of migratory birds of waterfowls which include large number of worldwide dying out varieties (declared next to only the Bharatpur’s Keoladeo National Park). All these migrations of local and threatened species of birds have been accountable to recognize this wetland as one of the Ramsar sites of India in 1990 by Ramsar conference for protection, perpetuation and development of the ecosystem.

Bird Sanctuary

With an extended area of about 8600ha, this wetland was acknowledged a bird refuge in 1982 naming it as Harike Pattan Bird sanctuary. BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society), from 1980 to 1985, conceded to carry out an investigation and bird buzzing program. The Study of field bird’s program laboratory was initiated to be recognized by BNHS.

Nearly 200varieties of birds trip this wetland throughout winter season and several of better known varieties (few are shown in the gallery) are:

Aqua Fauna

The dying out animals which are Red listed in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) such as Smooth Indian Otter and Testudine Turtles are located in this wetland of Harike.

About 26 different fish varieties such as Notopterus ornata, Cyprinus, Catla-Catla, Cirrhina Channa, Ambassis ranga, Mystus, Puntius and Rohu have also been documented at harike wetland.

The documented invertebrates are as under:

How to Reach

By Road

The distance of Harike Lake from Ludhiana and Amritsar are 105kms and 60kms respectively. If one wishes to come to Harike Lake via Ludhiana then first come to Moga from Ludhiana. Rail, Road and Air connections are very well defined for Holy city Amritsar.

By Rail

The nearest Railway head from Harike Pattan Bird Sanctuary is Amritsar (60kms).

By Air

Harike Pattan Bird sanctuary is nearest to the Amritsar airport (60kms).