Best Wetland

The Pantanal is a vast tropical wetland encompassing parts of Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. It’s notable for its extensive seasonal flooding, creating unique habitats supporting an incredible biodiversity including jaguars, capybaras, and numerous bird species. The region primarily benefits researc...

The Camargue is a significant wetland delta located in southern France within the Rhône River’s estuary. It's recognized as a Ramsar site due to its valuable ecological features including extensive saltmarshes and diverse birdlife, particularly pink flamingo populations. The area supports unique hor...

The Phantom Flutterer (Rhyothemis semihyalina) is a species of dragonfly belonging to the skimmer family Libellulidae. Native to regions including sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the Indian Ocean, it primarily inhabits marshlands, swamps, and areas of still water with dense aquatic vegetation. The i...

The Glacial Ridge Project is a major tallgrass prairie and wetland restoration initiative located in northwestern Minnesota. Overseen primarily by The Nature Conservancy, the project focuses on restoring thousands of acres of landscape that had previously been drained for agricultural use. It is rec...

Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge is a protected natural area located in northwestern Minnesota that was established in 2004. The refuge manages one of the largest tallgrass prairie and wetland restoration projects in the United States, reversing decades of agricultural drainage. It provides a...

The Esteros del Ibera is a vast freshwater marshland located in northeastern Argentina. It’s notable for harboring exceptional biodiversity including capybaras, jabiru storks, and caimans – many species found nowhere else. The reserve protects this unique wetland ecosystem. It's of interest to resea...

The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta is a massive river delta situated along the coast of western Alaska. Covering approximately 130,000 square kilometers, it is one of the largest river deltas in North America. The landscape is dominated by extensive wetlands, tundra, and numerous lakes that freeze over durin...

The Okavango Savanna is a vast savanna ecosystem centered around the Okavango Delta in northwestern Botswana. This unique area features a significant inland wetland – the world’s largest delta – supporting an extraordinary concentration of wildlife including elephants, lions, and numerous bird speci...

The dry prairie within Myakka River State Park is a protected ecosystem located in southwestern Florida. It represents one of the remaining fragments of the Florida dry prairie, a fire-dependent habitat characterized by a dense ground cover of wiregrass and saw palmetto, with very few trees. This ec...

The Showy Lady’s Slipper (*Cypripedium reginae*) is a distinctive wetland wildflower recognized across North America. It's notable as Minnesota’s state flower and prized for its large size and unusual pink-white spathe, which houses the delicate flowers. This orchid thrives in moist environments and...

Oak Hammock Marsh is a designated Wildlife Management Area and Ramsar Wetland of International Importance located in Manitoba, Canada. The site preserves a restored prairie pothole ecosystem, which serves as a crucial staging and breeding ground for migratory birds. It offers public visitor faciliti...

Dolomedes plantarius, commonly called the great raft spider, is a large European nursery-web spider associated with unpolluted wetlands, particularly fens, grazing marshes, and slow-moving water. It can stand and move across the water surface, detect vibrations through its legs, and dive when huntin...

The Central Andean Wet Puna is a montane grassland and shrubland ecoregion located in the high Andes of southern Peru and western Bolivia. Characterized by its moist, high-elevation climate, the region features extensive plains, towering peaks, and water systems including Lake Titicaca. The landscap...

Camas Prairie Centennial Marsh Wildlife Management Area is a protected wetland and grassland complex in southern Idaho managed for wildlife habitat and public use. Seasonal flooding supports waterfowl and other wetland birds, while broad fields of common camas produce conspicuous blue-purple blooms...

The Blue-spotted Hawker, Adversaeschna brevistyla, is a large dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae and the sole species assigned to the genus Adversaeschna. It occurs in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of the southwestern Pacific. Adults are strong-flying wetland insects, while their aquatic larvae d...

The Everglades is a unique wetland ecosystem located in southern Florida. It’s notable for its expansive flooded grasslands, forming a significant savanna ecoregion. This area, stretching from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, supports diverse plant and animal life including wading birds, reptiles, an...

The Lena Delta Tundra is an Arctic ecoregion located in Siberia, Russia, where the Lena River empties into the Laptev Sea. It encompasses one of the world's largest river deltas, spanning approximately 32,000 square kilometers. This expansive wetland consists of numerous islands, channels, and lakes...

The Crimson Marsh Glider (Trithemis aurora) is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae widely distributed across tropical and subtropical Asia, including India and Southeast Asia. The species exhibits distinct sexual dimorphism, with mature males developing a vibrant crimson body and reddi...

The cardinal flower (*Lobelia cardinalis*) is a wetland wildflower known for its prominent, bright red blooms. These spikes attract hummingbirds and other pollinators vital to summer ecosystems. Native to North America, it’s particularly valued by botanists, conservationists, and those interested in...

The Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger) is a migratory dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae, native to arid and semi-arid regions of Africa, the Middle East, and southern Asia. It is capable of sustained long-distance dispersal and appears irregularly as a vagrant in Europe, with records from as far nort...

The Indigo Dropwing (Trithemis festiva) is a species of dragonfly in the skimmer family Libellulidae. It is widely distributed across parts of Asia, where it is typically found near fast-flowing rocky streams and rivers. Mature males develop a characteristic deep indigo to black pruinescence on thei...

Valentine National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area in the Nebraska Sandhills, established by executive order in 1935 and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge encompasses numerous shallow lakes, marshes, and wetlands interspersed among the sand dunes that define this grasslan...

The Portia Widow, scientifically known as Palpopleura portia, is a species of dragonfly belonging to the family Libellulidae. It is native to various regions across sub-Saharan Africa, commonly inhabiting seasonal pools, marshes, and wetlands. The species exhibits notable sexual dimorphism, with mal...

The swamp rose mallow (*Hibiscus moscheutos*) is a wetland perennial wildflower found throughout eastern North America. It’s recognized by its substantial size, featuring large, pink flowers that can reach saucer-like dimensions. This plant thrives in saturated soils and provides habitat for insects...

The Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area situated in the Sandhills region of western Nebraska, managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Established in 1931, the refuge encompasses a vast expanse of rolling sand dunes, mixed-grass prairies, and numerous shallow la...

Yellow fringed orchid, Platanthera ciliaris, is a terrestrial orchid native to eastern North America. It grows in acidic bogs, wet meadows, pine barrens, savannas, and other open, moist habitats, producing a summer spike of vivid yellow-orange flowers with deeply fringed lips. The flowers are pollin...

Cuatro Cienegas is a desert basin, municipality, and protected natural area in the Mexican state of Coahuila. Its spring-fed wetlands, pools, marshes, and gypsum-rich landscapes form isolated aquatic habitats within the Chihuahuan Desert and support numerous endemic organisms, including fish, snails...

Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve protects a significant UK heathland ecosystem within the Somerset Levels. This area is notable for its diverse plant and animal life, including rare birds and reptiles, and provides valuable insight into ancient wetland management practices. The reserve offers...

Laguna del Tigre National Park lies in northern Guatemala within the Maya Biosphere Reserve and protects a broad landscape of wetlands, seasonally flooded savannas, lagoons, rivers, and lowland tropical forest. The area is also recognized under the Ramsar Convention for its internationally important...