east coast of the lake. Boat Races During the months of August and September, the rivers in and near Kottayam turn into activity and attraction centers due to these Boat races, a Kerala Tradition. Snake boat races - the lakes and rivers come alive during Onam with this water sport. It's a sight to watch oarsmen (about a hundred in one boat), slice their way through the backwaters. Lake Island The lake has a small island called Pathiramanal, which can be accessed only via a boat. Other major attraction is the island Kakkathuruth. Inland transport The Vembanad Wetland system has formed an intricate network of estuaries, lagoons and canals which spans over 196 km in the north–south and 29 km in the east–west directions. Almost all villages in these areas can be accessed via water transport. The major rivers of Muvattupuzha, Meenachil, Pamba and Achencovil rivers, are all navigable up to distances of about 30 km upstream in the tidal reach. The Kottappuram–Kollam segment of the west coast canal system has a major chunk passing through the Vembanad Lake and spans a total of 209 km. It has been declared as a National Waterway. Ecological importance Vembanad Kol Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands. It is home to more than 20,000 waterfowls – the third largest such population in India. It is also an ideal habitat for shrimps. Major livelihood activities of the people living on the shores of the lake include agriculture, fishing, tourism, inland navigation, coir retting, lime shell collection. The uncontrolled mining of shells from the lake bed is also posing a threat to the eco-system. The sewage effluents and the heavy load of organic material released from the neighboring areas including a medical college at Alappuzha are let into the water and are responsible for the decrease in dissolved oxygen content in the water in the water body. Birds Vembanad Wetland is hosting many migratory birds in the season. In addition to this, the fragile ecosystem carries more than 100 birds as natives. It comes in the way of Central Asian flyway. Tourism in this area is affecting the ecosystem and hence the life of 16 million people depending on it. References External links Lakes of Kerala History of Kerala Lagoons of India Ramsar sites in India