Atlas Obscura, the always amazing and thought provoking travel website full of strange, wondrous or merely overlooked destinations has a motley bunch of entries tagged "wetlands" here A few articles are tangential, but the entry for Panjin Red Beach in Liaoning, China, in one of the worlds largest wetlands, is the most eye catching. At first glance, it looks like a photoshop trick, but the rich crimson and cranberry reds in the photos run true.

The estuaries unique combination of salinity, fluctuating water levels and alkalinity allows a distinct species of the common seepweed, a halophile or salt loving species with thick, succulent like leaves to thrive. The leaves turn a crimson red fading to purple as it matures in autumn. The fields of seepweed are not limited to a small area, but a horizon to horizon view encompassing 51 square miles, attracting many tourists, but remain threatened by oil drilling and wells. It is also home to some 250 migratory birds.

The other article, is a good jumping off point for learning more about some of the largest, and little known wetlands in the world. It skips from continent to continent, from the Pantanal in Brazil through the southern forested wetlands in the United States, and lowland African wetlands and New Guinea’s Giant River Swamps. It doesn't mention the bogs of Siberia, but its definitely worth a read and a forward.

Wetlands in the News

24 April 2024