Wet and wild
From the Florida Everglades (top image) to Botswana's Okavango Delta, wetlands are some of the most wildlife-rich places on Earth. Intrepid eco-tourists come to these often-buggy, perpetually moist lands to see everything from rare species of wading birds to prehistoric-sized reptiles.
While they are a paradise for birders and adventure-seekers, many wetlands lack the infrastructure that would make them heavily visited eco-tourism destinations. Sure, there will always be a steady stream of thrill-seekers wanting to see crocodiles or snakes, but, for the most part, these ecosystems remain havens for nature lovers and dedicated bird-watchers.
While they might not be high on many people's to-visit lists, some wetland destinations are easily accessible via boardwalk trails and boat tours. Getting to other, more remote destinations simply requires hopping on a bush plane and maybe even paddling through swampland in a dugout canoe. The amount of bug repellent that needs to be applied and the odds of getting mud-filled boots vary from wetland to wetland, but nearly all of these places are quiet, under visited and ideal for nature viewing.
Where are these wet and wild places? (Text: Josh Lew)
1. Pantanal
The Pantanal is the world's largest wetland. This remote-feeling wilderness stretches for more than 80,000 square miles. It spills over from southwestern Brazil into both Paraguay and Bolivia. As with other wetlands, birds flock to the Pantanal. More than 1,000 species call the vast marshlands home. Rare mammals, like marsh deer, giant otters, anteaters and tapirs are found in the Pantanal. A large population of jaguars also thrives here. Since the Pantanal is difficult (and even dangerous) to traverse, going solo is unwise. Tours leave from several towns located near the wetlands. A majority of visitors opt for these guided excursions. Marsh-side towns such as Cuiaba (base for many tours of the northern sections of the Pantanal) and Campo Grande (base for southern sightseeing expeditions) are the most popular starting points.
2. Ibera Wetlands
The Iberá Wetlands is the second largest wetland area in the world, after the Pantanal. Located in Central Argentina, this area of boggy marshland, stagnant bodies of water, and swampland boasts exotic animal inhabitants including caimans, marsh deer and capybara (the Earth's largest rodent species). The tourists who venture into Iberá are often hoping to get a glimpse, or better yet, a snapshot, of the area's elusive anacondas, alien-like armadillos, one of the resident primate species, or even some crocodile vs. piranha action. Not only is this a nature-seeker's dreamland, it is also an important freshwater reservoir for multiple nations in South America. Like the Pantanal, Iberá is best when visited as part of a guided tour. Many tours leave from Colonia Carlos Pellegrini, the largest settlement in the area.
3. Okavango Delta
One of Africa's most stunning natural places sits in the landlocked nation of Botswana. The Okavango Delta is the world's largest inland delta. This annually changing landscape is produced by seasonal flooding, with water flowing down from the highlands of Angola before pooling in a vast, flat plain. Evaporation shrinks the wetland each year until the following year's wet season. Botswana has throttled tourism, so most people come to the Okavango as part of package tours offered by high-end game lodges and safari companies. Huge numbers of birds and fish, as well as big game like elephants and crocodiles, reside in the delta. Guests can view the abundant wildlife from jeeps or even from viewing platforms attached to the lodges, though it is also possible to travel around parts of the delta on foot, by canoe, or even on the back of domesticated elephants.
4. Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta covers much of southernmost Vietnam. The vast wetland area can stretch for more than 15,000 square miles during flood season, with the southernmost plains almost completely covered by water during the rainy months. The delta is a treasure trove of aquatic and avian life, with some species found nowhere else in the world. This is one of the most heavily populated wetland areas on Earth. The Mekong’s residents often use the waterways as a stand-in for roads, traveling from place to place via boat. The relatively high population makes it easy to visit the Mekong Delta, with tours to more-natural areas available in the main population centres like Can Tho.
5. Kerala Backwaters
The Vembanad Lake and the surrounding wetlands area sits in southwestern India around the city of Kolchi (known as Cochin in colonial-era spelling). The lake is part of a web of waterways that includes smaller lakes, rivers, marshy areas and canals. This entire watery landscape is known locally as the Kerala Backwaters. Because of their scenic beauty, the Backwaters draw both international and domestic tourists. Cruises on large houseboats or smaller boats carry sightseers into the backwaters in search of picture-worthy landscapes. With the network of canals, lakes and rivers stretching for more than 600 miles, cruisers can travel through the maze-like system for days without seeing the same scenes of tropical idyll twice.
6. Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Southern Louisiana [USA] is part of the famed Louisiana Bayou Country. These wetlands are home to numerous bird species, including pelicans, woodpeckers and bald eagles. Big Branch also has a wide variety of small mammals. Hurricane Katrina damaged the reserve’s infrastructure significantly. However, replanting and the rebuilding of boardwalk trails has again made this one of the most beautiful and accessible wetland areas in the U.S. Regular educational events and a visitor’s centre that is open daily make Big Branch Marsh an excellent choice for people who want their wetland experience to include an educational angle.
7. Xixi National Wetland Park
Xixi National Wetland Park is China's only official National Wetland Park. Located in Hangzhou, a city in east-central China near Shanghai, the park is one of the easiest attractions in the country to reach. Hangzhou's natural scenery inspired many traditional Chinese landscape paintings, and Xixi has more than its share of these iconic panoramas. The park is crisscrossed by navigable waterways, with lakes, smaller ponds and wetlands in between the natural canals. Popular tourist sites are located throughout the park, and many can be reached only by boat. Because of its status and history - the bridges, villages and especially scenic islands are as much of an attraction as the nature itself - Xixi is a popular destination for domestic tourists. Willow, plum and bamboo trees dominate the landscape, while egrets, kingfishers and pheasants are among the winged residents. Crabs, carp and shrimp sit below the murky surface of the waterways.
8. Kakadu National Park
Australia's wetlands are filled with wildlife, though most people probably associate these places with a single animal: the crocodile. These creatures, prehistoric in appearance and size, dominate the imagination of anyone who has ever lived in or visited Australia. The Northern Territory's Kakadu National Park is home to the highest concentration of wild saltwater crocodiles in the country. However, the park is not only about these oversized reptiles. An abundance of bird life (no less than 396 species of tropical and migrating birds congregate at Kakadu), unusual plants, trees and flowers, and a wide variety of different landscapes makes this an ideal attraction for nature lovers.
Wetlands are some of the most inaccessible places for eco-tourists. That can be an attractive characteristic for those who choose to venture to these havens for birds, fish, reptiles and mammals. In these muddy, wet, sometimes buggy wild places, it is possible to come face-to-face with wildlife without having to contend with tourist hordes or any artificial barriers.
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