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Did you know that February 2nd is World Wet ____ Day?

Some may wonder whether ____ are important enough to celebrate every year.

They may think wetlands are useless and unpleasant places, but actually they are unique ecosystems ____ must be protected because they provide numerous benefits to both the environment and humans.

For example, Upo is Korea’s largest untouched wetland, covering an area as big as 210 soccer ____

First of all, ____ is a habitat for a number of threatened and endangered species.

To name a few, there is the rare gasiyeon and the ____ a bird which is nearly extinct.

Furthermore, Upo prevents floods by absorbing water during the rainy season of July and August, and it supplies ____ water to local farmers during droughts.

____ Upo, there are other wetlands in the world that help the environment and humans around them.

Let’s take a look at ____ of them.

The Camargue is a region in southern France where the Rhône River meets the Mediterranean Sea, just a few ____ from the city of Arles.

It functions as a natural sponge, absorbing and gradually releasing surface water such as rain, ____ and floodwater.

Its ability to hold water ____ in flood control.

The Camargue is also an excellent ____ to observe more than 400 species of birds.

Due to the fact that wetlands and lakes cover 35% of the area, the Camargue is an ideal place for flocks of birds to ____ and cool off.

The exotic pink flamingo is one of the most ____ species found there.

The area is also known historically for its white ____

The Camargue horses are a special breed, said to be one of the world’s oldest, and they have spent ____ of years living in the unique environment of the Camargue and adapted to its salty wetlands.

They have become powerful and strong as a result of surviving ____ the Camargue, where only reeds, thick grasses, and weeds are available.

If you have ever seen a magnificent image of horses running through water, it is very likely that they are Camargue ____ from this area.

The Everglades is a wetland that stretches ____ Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay.

____ functions as a “biological supermarket.”

Many birds and mammal species rely on the Everglades for food, ____ and shelter, particularly during the migration and breeding seasons.

____ example, the Florida panther has flourished in the Everglades.

It was nearly ____ in 1995, with only a dozen adults estimated in the wild.

But the whole population in the Everglades National Park had recovered to about 230 by ____

What is more, the Everglades is the only place where American crocodiles and American alligators ____

These animals typically inhabit different ecosystems: crocodiles live in salt water, whereas alligators live ____ fresh water.

However, they are found living together ____ fresh water from Lake Okeechobee meets the salt water of Florida Bay.

Besides, the Everglades provides drinking water ____ people in Florida, with one out of every three people relying on the Everglades for drinking water.

Unless the Everglades is preserved, millions of people will suffer from a ____ of drinking water.

The Sudd wetland is the largest wetland in Africa, sustained by the flow of the White Nile from Lake Victoria in ____

In the Sudd, there are ____ endangered mammal species, including African elephants and antelopes.

Additionally, one million people ____ on the wetland for a living, primarily through cattle herding.

For example, during the dry season, nomadic people move deeper into the wetland and build seasonal homes on naturally occurring islands ____ feed their herds like sheep, cows, and goats and catch the abundant fish.

____ name “Sudd” comes from an Arabic word for “barriers,” and the wetland historically protected the people from invaders.

The Egyptians, Greeks, and ____ spent centuries searching for the starting point of the Nile River.

Nero, the emperor of the ____ empire, sent the military to explore the White Nile in 61 AD, but his soldiers were unable to proceed beyond the Sudd.

Wetlands, ____ matter where they are found, clearly provide habitats for a variety of endangered plant and animal species, as well as humans.

Unfortunately, ____ are currently under threat.

The Camargue, ____ example, is decreasing as sea levels rise due to climate change.

The Everglades used to be much larger, but ____ to agriculture and urban development, less than half of the historic Everglades remains today.

The Sudd ____ been contaminated by oil spills from oil extraction activities.

It is estimated that 64% ____ the world’s wetlands have disappeared.

Now that we understand the importance of wetlands in ____ our ecosystems, we should consider ways to live without destroying the wetlands that provide valuable benefits to animals, plants, and humans.