Baraila Lake Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is located in Patepur and Jandaha blocks of Vaishali district. It is part of Baraila Lake whose total area is 1625.34 hectares, out of which only 197.91 hectares area is notified as Baraila Lake Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary by the Bihar government vide notification No. 11/97-83E/15 dated January 28, 1997. Notified area is distributed into 21 small isolated patches. Sanctuary is mainly a habitat of migratory birds along with various types of local birds, fish and others. It lies between the Noon and Baya Rivers, which are its major sources of water. This lake is vital resource for the area providing drinking, irrigation and livestock maintenance. It is also essential for the ecological and environmental functions of the gangetic plains. This lake and it surrounding area are home to a rich verity of flora and fauna including 59 species of migratory birds, 106 verity of local avifauna, 16 tree species, 11 shrub types and more. The local communities value the wetland very highly for its cultural services. They consider the water of the lake to be sacred and call it as ‘Jeevajour’ which means life giving water in local terms. Religious rites and ceremonies are also performed in the lake especially during Chhat puja.