Located in the tropics and with a long coastline, Malaysia has an extensive area of wetlands. The Malaysian Wetland Directory lists 105 wetland sites. Mangroves, river system, tropical peat swamp forest constitute the main wetlands ecosystem found in Malaysia.
In 1994, Malaysia signed the Ramsar Convention on Protection of Wetlands. Tasek Bera was nominated as the country’s first Ramsar site. Located in southwest Pahang, Tasik Bera is the largest natural freshwater lake in Peninsula Malaysia. Situated in the saddle of the main and eastern mountain ranges of the Peninsula, it is home to the Semelai community, one of the indigenous communities in Malaysia. Tasik Bera has remained a unique and remote wetland wilderness, which is surrounded by a patchwork of dry lowland forests.
However, Johor has the most number with three sites located at Sg. Pulai, Pulau Kukup and Tanjung Piai. In Sarawak, the mangrove area north of Kuching (Kuching Wetlands), has also been designated as a Ramsar site. The most recent inclusion into the Ramsar list is Lower Kinabatangan - Segama Wetlands in Sabah.
Located in the tropics and with a long coastline, Malaysia has an extensive area of wetlands. The Malaysian Wetland Directory lists 105 wetland sites. Mangroves, river system, tropical peat swamp forest constitute the main wetlands ecosystem found in Malaysia.
In 1994, Malaysia signed the Ramsar Convention on Protection of Wetlands. Tasek Bera was nominated as the country’s first Ramsar site. Located in southwest Pahang, Tasik Bera is the largest natural freshwater lake in Peninsula Malaysia. Situated in the saddle of the main and eastern mountain ranges of the Peninsula, it is home to the Semelai community, one of the indigenous communities in Malaysia. Tasik Bera has remained a unique and remote wetland wilderness, which is surrounded by a patchwork of dry lowland forests.
However, Johor has the most number with three sites located at Sg. Pulai, Pulau Kukup and Tanjung Piai. In Sarawak, the mangrove area north of Kuching (Kuching Wetlands), has also been designated as a Ramsar site. The most recent inclusion into the Ramsar list is Lower Kinabatangan - Segama Wetlands in Sabah.