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世界最大溼地保護區 座落剛果盆地

2009年04月29日
摘譯自2009年4月24日ENS瑞士,格蘭報導;游珮綺編譯;蔡麗伶審校

剛果民主共和國境內廣闊的熱帶雨林,在拉姆薩公約國際濕地公約規定之下,正式指定為世界最大的國際重要濕地。


剛果河夕照。攝影:Sarah Daho

根據拉姆薩濕地公約的工作人員派克(Dwight Peck)指出,這個廣闊的曼多比濕地(Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe)位於剛果盆地(Congo Basin)的中心,2008年7月在濕地公約的提議之下列為濕地保護區,但是所有的文書作業一直到現在才完成。濕地公約是一個旨在提供濕地保護與濕地合理運用的國際協定。

曼多比濕地位於剛果河的東方,非常靠近赤道,其是目前拉姆薩公約之下最大的濕地保護區,面積是比利時的二倍,範圍可延伸至65,695平方公里(略小於兩倍的台灣島)內受河流與湖泊環繞的雨林濕地。

另外,拉姆薩濕地公約的工作人員基巴塔(Cynthia Kibata)也表示,這個新的濕地保護區位於通巴湖(Lake Tumba)與泰勒湖(Lake Télé)之間,包含了非洲最大的內陸淡水水域,因此也讓它成為非洲最重要的濕地之一,也是世界上最重要的淡水水域之一。

這個濕地保護區涵蓋了好幾條河流以及9座湖泊,能夠吸收大部分的溫室氣體二氧化碳,同時也有助於雨林區植物及動物多樣性之發展。

保護區內也有許多動物棲息,包括水牛(buffalo)、各種不同種類的猴子、森林大象以及豹等;而保護區內只有在幾內亞與剛果森林的生物群落中可以看得到水鳥;此外,還有約150種魚類在此生活。

曼多比濕地釣起的大魚。照片提供:溼地公約秘書處。Inogwabini Bila-Isia攝。曼多比濕地保護區和廣大的剛果濕地(Grands Affluents)相比鄰,剛果濕地則涵蓋了59080平方公里。

而之前拉姆薩濕地公約保護區中最大的保護濕地為后茂德海灣保護區(Queen Maud Gulf),其涵蓋範圍可延伸62781平方公里,位於加拿大西北方。

這個新濕地保護區的指定工作是由世界自然基金會國際淡水計畫(International Freshwater Programme)以及世界自然基金會剛果民主共和國分會所奠定根基,並且在美國國際發展署(U.S. Agency for International Development)透過其所屬「中非洲區域環境規劃中心」的支持之下所促成建立。

DR Congo Finalizes Designation of World's Largest Wetland
GLAND, Switzerland, April 24, 2009 (ENS)

The Democratic Republic of Congo has finalized designation of a vast expanse of equatorial rainforest as the world's largest Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.

The huge Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe wetland in the heart of the Congo Basin was proposed for protection under the convention last July, but all the paperwork was only just completed, according to Dwight Peck of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international treaty that provides for protection and wise use of wetlands.

Lying on the eastern side of the Congo River very close to the Equator, the Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe wetland holds the record because it is more than twice the size of Belgium, extending over 25,365 square miles (6,569,624 hectares) of marshy rainforest punctuated by rivers and lakes.

Located in the transboundary area of Lake Télé and Lake Tumba, the new site contains the largest continental freshwater mass in Africa, making it one of the most important wetlands in Africa and one of the most important freshwater masses in the world, says Ramsar's Cynthia Kibata.

The area encompasses several rivers and nine lakes that constitute a major sink for the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, and support a diverse range of rainforest plants and animals.

The site is inhabited by buffalo, various species of monkeys, forest elephants, and leopards. Waterbirds found only in the biome of the Guinea-Congo forests are seen throughout the site, which also supports some 150 species of fish.

The site is adjacent to the vast Grands Affluents Ramsar site across the Congo River, which covers 22,811 square miles (5,908,074 hectares).

The previous leader for Ramsar site area was Queen Maud Gulf, which stretches across 24,240 square miles (6,278,200 ha) in Canada's Northwest Territory.

The groundwork for the new designation was facilitated by WWF's International Freshwater Programme and WWF democratic Republic of Congo, and support was provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development through its Central African Regional Programme for Environment.

作者

蔡麗伶(LiLing Barricman)

In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.