WETLANDS: JUST LIKE MEADOWS (EXCEPT DAMPER AND WITH MORE BUGS)

WETLANDS: JUST LIKE MEADOWS (EXCEPT DAMPER AND WITH MORE BUGS) By: Josh, Nathan, and Emily

HELLO! • Thank you for choosing Crocodile Travel Agency! • We’re glad you’ve expressed interest in travelling to one of the many glorious wetland areas in the world. • Allow us to show you some of the many benefits to this kind of vacation*: Crocodile Travel Agency: We’re the King of the Swamp! *See Disclaimer

WETLANDS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD Wetlands occur all over the world at the boundaries between land and water. These are just some of the many exotic wetlands you might consider in your trip!

LANDSCAPE • The meeting of two habitats: land and water • Areas of land that are covered with fresh water or saltwater; the soil is saturated with water (hydric soil) • Usually adjacent to larger bodies of water • Types of wetlands: • Swamps • Marshes • Bogs

CLIMATE • Temperatures and amount of rainfall depend on location of wetland • Majority of wetlands are in temperate areas that do not have extreme temperatures • Summers are warm and winters are cold

AVERAGE MONLTHY PRECIPITATION Croc Travel Tip:As shown by the above graph of precipitation for an average wetland, rainy season occurs during the spring and fall. These times may be wetter, but will also feature increased wildlife as spawning bugs draw all manner of animals—weigh this against getting rained out!

UNIQUE FEATURES • Provide a habitat for both marine, terrestrial, and amphibious life • Unique water-based plants • Submerged, floating, emergent • Often used for aquaculture:“fish farming” • Act as natural storage reservoirs against snowmelt flooding • Protect against coastal storms • Filter groundwater

WHEN TO VISIT: • Many wetlands are only flooded seasonally • Avoid the winter (December-March in the Northern Hemisphere and June-September in the Southern Hemisphere) • “Wet” periods are the best times for animal viewing • Heightened insect population draws other species

ANIMAL LIFE • Bird life – home to some of the most endangered bird species on the planet • Whooping Crane • Amphibians (frogs, salamanders) • Fish • Alligators/Crocodiles • The Platypus (Australia only) • Uniquely adapted for wetlands—uses its webbed feet to both swim and walk on the varied terrain • Beak is used to turn up bottom mud in search of insects Wetlands are a birdwatcher’s paradise!

PLANT LIFE • Wetland plants are usually adapted for life on the water. • Four categories: • Submerged plants (live completely underwater) • Floating plants (float on the water’s surface) • Emergent plants (roots extend underwater) • Trees and shrubs (forest wetlands are known as swamps)

TOURISM Bird watching Canoeing/kayaking Airboating Fishing

THANK YOU! • We hope you’ve enjoyed this free presentation on the many benefits of a wetland vacation. • For all your wetland travel needs, look no further than Crocodile Travel Agency! Crocodile Travel Agency: We’re the King of the Swamp!

*DISCLAIMER • Crocodile Travel Agency seeks to provide a quality wetland travel experience for all its customers. CTA is not responsible for dissatisfaction with trips involving the wetland biome, including but not limited to: excess mosquitoes, swampy conditions, hostile crocodilians/alligators, polluted water, excess rain, leeches or other parasites, water-borne diseases, water-borne parasites, etc. If a customer feels that their travel experience has been negatively affected by one of the above factors, CTA would like to express its deepest condolences and suggest that the customer not choose a travel agency that caters to wetland enthusiasts. Don’t mess with the king of the swamp!

SOURCES • http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-activities-wwds-wwd2012e/main/ramsar/1-63-78%5E25350_4000_0__ • http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/ • http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/

WETLANDS: JUST LIKE MEADOWS (EXCEPT DAMPER AND WITH MORE BUGS)