Loktak Lake in Manipur: Largest Natural Freshwater Lake of India with Floating Islands

Loktak Lake is known widely as the largest freshwater lake situated in the North-eastern state of Manipur, India. The lake is one of the most popular tourist attraction places of Manipur because of its elegant beauty. It is a broad lake with a land area differing from 250 square kilometres to 500 square kilometres during the rainy month with a typical area of 287 square km. The ancient Loktak Lake is accurately located in a place called Moirang, Manipur.

Loktak Lake is famous for its widespread vegetation and for a National Park along called Keibul Lamjao. This park is seen floating over the lake which is considered as the only floating National park. Keibul Lamjao is a park known for a state animal called Sangai that is the Manipuri brown antlered deer. Loktak Lake is said to be the home and last natural shelter of the endangered state animal Sangai.

The phumdis (local name) or swamps in the shape of a circle floating at the surface of the Loktak Lake provide a beautiful sight of the lake. These swamps seem like islands with an abundance of vegetation, soil and organic matter at different stages phases of decomposition. The lake gives shelter to other Aquatic plants of 250 different species along with hundreds of varieties of birds and 400 species of animal species such as python, barking deer and sambar. Bird species like lesser eastern jungle crow, East Himalayan pied kingfisher, lesser skylark, black kite, northern hill myna and Burmese pied myna are found in Loktak lake which makes it a tourist spot for birdwatchers.

Loktak Lake is used for generating hydropower, water supply and irrigation methods. It plays a very essential role in the economical status of the state of Manipur as the livelihood of fishermen living around the place depends on the lake. On 1990, 23 March under the Ramsar Convention the Loktak Lake was named as a wetland of international value by considering its biodiversity and ecological position. The question of where the Loktak Lake is situated is discussed by EduRev Study Group by UPSC Students and solved by the largest student community of UPSC.

FLOATING ISLAND IN THE LAKE

Also read: Kaziranga National Park, Assam: What is Kaziranga National Park Famous For?

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