Sambhar Salt Lake is india`s largest salt lake and it is located 60km west of Jaipur in Rajasthan. On the eastern end, the lake is divided by a 5-km long dam. To the east of the dam are salt evaporation ponds which have been used from centuries, to make salt. To the east of the dam is a railroad, that provides access from the Sambhar Lake City to the salt works. The Sambhar lake city is the largest of human settlements around the lake. There is a lot of mythology and legend connected to Sambhar believed to have been gifted by the Goddess Shakambari to the local people 2500 years ago. Her shrine `Mata Pahari` juts out into the lake west of Jhapok.

This lake has been designated as a Ramsar site, which is a recognized wetland of international importance because the wetland is a key wintering area for tens of thousands of falmingos like the Northern shoveller and blackheaded gull and other birds that migrate from northern Asia. Even some 45 species of aquatic birds including ducks, geese and shorebirds have been recorded. The lake is actually an extensive saline wetland, with water depths fluctuating from just a few centimeters (1 inch) during the dry season to about 3 meters (10 feet) after the monsoon season.

Together with neighbouring saline wetlands, Phulera and Deedwana, the lake is probably the most important wintering area for flamingos in India outside the Rann of Kachchh. It is the largest salt lake in India, which is unique, not only in their physical and chemical, attributes but also support a highly specialized group of organisms including algae and bacteria. However, there are a few threats to this lake viz:

Shortage of water and increasing desertification.

Grazing pressure from domestic animals from some 20 villages located around the lake.

Illegal hunting by local people.

However, apart from these problems, though hunting has been banned in the area, no special conservation measures have been taken. Also a comprehensive ecosystem study is urgently required for coming up with a management plan for the long tem.