Raising concern over the rapid disappearance of wetlands in North Bengal, conservationists from around the world have started an online petition demanding urgent action to protect the ecologically sensitive region.

'Save the Wetlands of North Bengal' has so far been signed by over 36,000 green activists and will be submitted to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when it achieves half-a- lakh mark.

Activists through the petition are demanding urgent action from the government to protect the wetlands, which according to them "support an immense diversity of life while providing ecological services essential to people in the region, including prevention of floods and pollutant filtration".

The environmentalists have described North Bengal as a region of productive agricultural land, rich biodiversity and a home to diverse wildlife that includes fishing cat, leopard, tiger, river terrapin, Himalayan salamander, elephant and different birds.

"The survival of its wildlife and ecosystems, and in turn agriculture, depend on its natural wetlands. These wetlands, however, have been disappearing rapidly," they said in 'thepetitionsite.com'