Outdoor Kids Club NovDec - (Page 31) The Habitat Connection Wetlands Wetlands- an area where water just covers the surface of the soil all year or most of the year. Aren’t wetlands just a swampy mud hole? NO! Wetlands are full of life! A wetland ecosystem is one of the most lively places on earth. There are so many plants and animals living in and around a wetland, it contains as much life as rainforests. What animals live in wetlands? Many animals call wetlands home. There are millions of tiny animals living in wetlands that you can’t even see with your eyes. These animals are food for other animals like fish and insects. Other animals include frogs, salamanders, turtles, and snakes. Many ducks and geese call wetlands home and raise their babies there. Why are wetlands important to animals? Wetlands provide food for a lot of animals. There are so many things living in and around wetlands, that many food chains (a chain where an animal eats a plant and another eats that animal and so) can be found in wetlands. Wetlands also provide nesting places and shelter for many animals to live and raise their young. Why are wetlands important to people? Wetlands are very important because they act as big sponges. Wetlands absorb a lot of water when it rains and keeps areas from flooding. Wetlands also help filter water. As water soaks into and through a wetland, the water settles and is cleaned as it travels through a wetland. Wetlands are in trouble. Because some people think wetlands are just swampy areas that have no purpose, many wetlands are drained so people can farm the land or build houses in the area. This has caused much of the wetlands in the United States to disappear forever. We know that many waterfowl, like ducks and geese, use wetlands to raise their babies. When wetlands disappear, ducks and geese have no place to nest and hatch their chicks. This can then cause the number of ducks and geese to fall. Organizations like Ducks Unlimited help to preserve and protect wetlands so waterfowl will have a place to live and nest for years to come. We all must do our part to protect our important wetlands!! www.outdoorkidsclub.com Outdoor Kids Club Magazine 31 http://www.outdoorkidsclub.com
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