Celebrating World Wetlands Day: The Pantanal wetlands.
February 2nd is World Wetlands Day, a day to raise awareness about wetlands’ vital role in our ecosystem and promote their conservation and sustainable use.
Wetlands are low-lying areas of land that are covered by water for long periods. They are important because they support aquatic plants and wildlife and act as a carbon sink because they absorb carbon dioxide. Wetlands are at risk of disappearing due to agricultural and urban developments and climate change.
The Pantanal wetlands are the world’s largest freshwater wetland. The name “Pantanal” comes from the Portuguese word pântano, meaning wetland, bog, swamp, or marsh. The Pantanal wetlands is a seasonally flooded plain fed by the tributaries of the Paraguay River located within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. It extends into portions of Bolivia and Paraguay.
The Pantanal wetlands cover an area of up to 210,000 km2 (or 81,000 sq. miles), and are ten times the size of Florida’s Everglades. The Pantanal wetlands comprise about 3% of the entire world’s wetlands and remain more intact and pristine than most other wetland systems.
The Pantanal wetlands is home a variety of biodiveristy. It has the largest concentration of crocodiles in the world (approximately 10 million) and the highest density of jaguars anywhere in the world. It has the second largest habitat of jaguars in Brazil (after the Amazon rainforest), with over 5000 animals. It is also home to the biggest parrot on the planet: the hyacinth macaw.
The river overflows and floods the adjacent lowlands during the summer rainy season. With over 40 inches of rain every year, shallow lakes, swamps, and marshes are formed, creating a nursery for aquatic life. There are over 260 species of fish that are found there. When the water recedes in the dry season, the Pantanal wetlands provide a habitat for more than 650 bird species.
The sediments carried from the annual floods contribute to the great fertility of the Pantanal’s soils, bringing trees, grasses, and vibrant flowers to the area. The area also functions as a huge area for water purification, groundwater discharge and recharge, and as a source of water.
As vast as this wetland is, less than 5% of the Pantanal wetlands are protected. These areas fall under an agreement called Ramsar. The Ramsar requires national governments to conserve and wisely use wetlands; some are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves.
The rest of the Pantanal wetlands (95%) are under private ownership and are being used for cattle grazing and soy production. While the Pantanal wetlands remain intact, they face a few environmental pressures, including unsustainable infrastructure development and untreated waste pollution. Deforestation in the Pantanal is increasing, with more than 12% of the forest cover already lost.
The Nature Conservancy, UNESCO, WWF, and Brazilian environmental agency IBAMA, for the conversation of the Natural World Heritage Sites in Pantanal, are all working to restore the watersheds and to protect the grasslands. Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia are working towards a tri-national agreement for the sustainable development and conservation of this globally significant freshwater resource.
There are many ways you can celebrate World Wetlands Day and help protect and bring awareness to wetlands worldwide. This includes:
- Learning more about wetlands
- Making water-friendly and conscious ecosystem decisions
- Celebrating World Wetlands Day.
- Holding or joining a public wetlands cleanup day
- Maximizing the awareness of wetlands and the urgency of their restoration
- Getting directly involved in a local wetland restoration project
No matter how you choose to celebrate World Wetlands Day, every effort is one step closer to protecting the wetlands that support biodiversity and ecosystems around the world.
