Sakkarakottai Birds Sanctuary located at 9°21’8” N latitude and 78°48’50” E longitude, is part of Sakkarakottai, Rajasuriyamadai and Achadipirambu vi lages of Ramanathapuram Taluk, Ramanathapuram District of southern Tamil Nadu. The wetland is a peri urban wetland. The wetland receives water from the tributeries of Vaigai river. The Sakkarakottaikanmai area was declared as a bird sanctuary in the year 2012, with an estimated area of 230.49 ha (S.F. No. 68, 383, 209 & 25) in Sakkarakottai, Rajasuriyamadai and Achadipirambu vi lages. It is notified as a sanctuary within the meaning and scope of Section 18 (1) of Wildlife Protection Act 1972, through the G.O. Ms. No.114; E&F (FR.5) dated 17.04.2012 and appeared in the Gazette Part I on Page No. 231 on 09.05.2012. Most notable feature of the sanctuary area is the prominent growth of Babul (Acacia nilotica) trees. The sanctuary can be identified as a compact seasonaly perennial water body in the Survey of India toposheet 1:50,000 NO: 58 K/15. The sanctuary offers conducive breeding and feeding grounds for the birds, of which the most preferred nesting sites being the Babul trees (Acacia nilotica) planted extensively by the Forest Department under social forestry scheme. The sanctuary includes earthen embankments, bunds and the seasonaly water holding marshy lake, which is equaly beneficial for the birds as wel as the vi lagers. The sanctuary acts as a efficient flood control & flood storage mechanism. Excess water that is stored during rainy season within the bunds is later utilized for agricultural purposes. The sanctuary controls the natura ly occurring soil erosion. It also acts as a natural filtration system for nutrient removal from agricultural runoff. The sanctuary is home to Vulnerable Indian spotted Eagle (Aquila hastata), Endangered Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and near threatened species including the Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus), Spot-bi led Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster), Palied Harrier (Circus macrourus) etc. The sanctuary also harbors rich biodiversity particularly among the lower vertebrate groups such as amphibians and reptiles (herpetofauna) as wel as invertebrates.

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.