Wetlands are ecosystems full of life: hundreds of animals and plants coexist in them, so if you ever have the opportunity to visit them, it will be as if you saw an image that would surely be repeated every day several thousand years ago, when the human being had not yet impacted as much on the environment as it is doing today.
And today, February 2, the World Wetlands Day, of these places where nature can exist and grow freely.
Since when is World Wetlands Day celebrated?
This special day It began to be celebrated on February 2, 1977, commemorating the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in Ramsar, Iran, on February 2, 1971.
This convention is the first treaty on the conservation and wise use of wetlands. Until 2013, the Ramsar list included 2167 designated sites, covering a total area of 208.518.409 hectares in 168 countries, which is very interesting.
Why are wetlands important?
Wetlands, i.e. bogs, mangroves, coral reefs, swamps, marshes, rivers, deltas, or coastal marine areas are places on the planet with great biological diversity.
If we talk about animals, we will find fish such as eels, salmon, freshwater sharks, trout, alligators, crocodiles, otters or flamingos, among many others.
Among the plant flora that gives them color, we highlight the water lilies, papyri, reeds, or plantains.
All of them, as well as the water that gives them life, are very important. Not only do they feed migratory birds, but also thanks to them humans can supply themselves with fresh water. But in addition, they regulate the water and climate cycle, so without them it would be very difficult for us to get the precious liquid.
For all these reasons, protecting wetlands is key to everyone's survival.