The Chari-Dhand wetland conservation reserve is located on the edge of arid Banni grasslands and the marshy salt flats of the Rann of Kutch in Kutch District, Gujarat State in India. It is currently legally protected under the status as a Protected or Reserve Forest in India.[3] Chari means salt affected and Dhand means shallow wetland, Dhand is a Sindhi word for a shallow saucer shaped depression.This is a seasonal desert wetland and only gets swampy during a good monsoon, receiving water from the north flowing rivers as well as from the huge catchment areas of many surrounding big hills.It is spread over an area of 80 km2. It is in Nakhtrana Taluka, 80 km south west to the city of Bhuj, about 7 or 8 km from Fulary village and 30 km from Nakhtrana town. It is home to nearly two lakh birds with migratory and endangered species of birds flocking into the area in thousands during monsoon and winters.

The Gujarat State forest department had originally proposed that Chari Dhandh be declared as the “Kutch bird sanctuary” because its much bigger in size than the famous Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in neighbouring state of Rajasthan. The Gujarat state Wildlife Board agreed to the demand on 26 June 2002, but later it was decided to accord Chari-Dhand wetland the status of a “conservation forest”, as it would be of greater benefit to the local populace.

sources-wikipedia