Gokul Jalashay is a natural inland permanent oxbow lake spread over an area of 448 hectare on the southern edges of river Ganges in Buxar district of Bihar. Gokul Jalashay and the adjacent area is rich in biodiversity of flora and fauna especially Avifauna. 57 species of birds were identified in Gokul Jalashay and nearby areas. Gokul Jalashay is also an important habitat of Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), a schedule I species protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Gokul Jalashay is a societal asset that has sustained the region’s prosperity across generations. It also offers the livelihood opportunities to the local population.

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region.

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird.

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity.

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend.

A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent nonavian animal species.