World Wetlands Day

Today may be Groundhog's Day... but it's also World Wetlands Day!

Wetlands are some of the most critical wildlife habitats on the world.  They provide habitat for a variety of species in a very complex intermingling of land and water.  Some famous wetland habitats from around the world include the Everglades in the United States, the Pantanal in Brazil, and the Okavango in southern Africa.  Many of these habitats are commonly depicted in zoos, and it's a rare aquarium that doesn't have a wetland exhibit.

When we think of wetlands we often think of dismal swamps, damp and murky and dangerous, but they really are beautiful ecosystems that are essential to the health of our planet.  When we think of the wildlife that lives there, we think of alligators and marsh birds and turtles - but many, many species can be found there, from elephants to eagles to jaguars.  Water is essential to life, and wetlands are, by definition, where the water is.

Ecological importance (filtering water, buffering from hurricanes and storms, nurseries for fish and birds) aside, wetlands are also of tremendous economic value to society, which we tend to overlook.  The best thing we can do is focus on protecting our local wetlands - keeping them intact, removing trash and debris, limiting chemical runoff.  Above all, they need to be protected, and, when possible, expanded.