Designation of the Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary as the third Ramsar site was announced at a ceremony on World Wetlands Day, which was held at the Moeyungyi Inn Wildlife Sanctuary yesterday, organized by the Forestry Department, the Norway Environmental Agency (NEA) and Shwe Pyi Aye Company.
Myanmar wetland areas protect coastal ecosystems including mangroves, mudflats and turtle nesting beaches. It is also important for development of the country and stability of weather conditions. Attempts were made in the past to maintain the wetlands sanctuary, the standard of the sanctuary declined in part because of inadequacy of environmental safety arrangements.
Mr. Frank Momberg, director of Fauna & Flora International (FFI) Myanmar programme, said the forestry department with the assistance of FFI designated a Ramsar site which covers the mangroves on Meinmahla Island and the surrounding estuary, which provides important feeding and nursing grounds for fisheries and protects coastal communities form storms. The site also includes mudflats of global conservation importance, particularly for threatened shore birds. Despite the severe threats, Meinmahla Kyun hosts the world’s largest population of the critically endangered mangrove plant species, threatened migratory bird species and more than 20 species of threatened fauna.
Indawgyi lake is Myanmar’s second Ramsar site, which is located in Mohnyin township in the Kachin state in 2015. The country’s first Ramsar site was Moeyungyi Wetland in Bago region, designated in 2004. There are now three listed Ramsar sites in Myanmar, accomplished with the assistance of Switzerland. Additionally, there are 14 places in Thailand, four places in Cambodia, eight places in Viet Nam and two places in Laos.
Source : Global New Light of Myanmar
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