Art&MusicaLSlides® ArKive - "Happy World Water Day"

Filed Under : by Madereira

sexta-feira, 22 de março de 2013

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World Water Day 2013

Our most precious resource

We all know water is essential for life on Earth. However, our insatiable demand is putting our most precious natural resource at risk. The enormous growth in the human population over recent decades is placing a huge strain on the world’s freshwater reserves, with our global consumption of water for food production, energy, industrial and domestic uses reaching what are thought to be unsustainable levels. Rapid urbanisation, pollution and climate change are all exacerbating the problem, further threatening this most vital resource.

World Water Day 2013

To highlight the importance of freshwater and the need for sustainable management of the world’s freshwater resources, the United Nations (UN) has designated 22 March ‘World Water Day’.

Held annually, World Water Day gives people all around the world the opportunity to take action to raise awareness on water issues and improve the management of the world’s water resources. In 2013, as part of the International Year of Water Cooperation, World Water Day is also dedicated to the theme of cooperation around water.

See how you can get involved in World Water Day 2013

Freshwater biodiversity

Only 1% of the Earth’s surface is covered with freshwater, but is the habitat for over 35% of all vertebrates. An estimated 126,000 known species rely on freshwater habitats and some experts believe this number could rise to over one million. To celebrate World Water Day we thought we would shine a spotlight on some of the extraordinary animals and plants found in freshwater ecosystems around the world.

Fishing bats

The greater bulldog bat is one of the largest bats in the New World and is one of only a few bat species to feed on fish. The ‘fishing bat’, typically forages over water, using echolocation to detect the ripples made by fish as they disturb the water’s surface.

Watch a video of the greater bulldog bat fishing at night >>

Kings of freshwater

The striking yet elusive kingfisher is famous for diving from its perch into rivers to catch fish and invertebrates. Requiring clear water to see prey, their presence is a good indicator of a healthy river ecosystem.

Watch the kingfisher catch a fish >>

Life-giving lillies

Freshwater ponds and lakes are home to a huge diversity of beautiful plant life, such as the white water-lily. Aquatic plants play an important role in maintaining freshwater ecosystems by oxygenating the water, provide nesting sites for other species and keeping algal blooms under control.

Watch a video of Britain’s largest flower blooming >>

Freshwater born and bred

Rivers provide the stage for some of nature’s most spectacular events, such as the annual migration of sockeye salmon. Born in lakes and rivers, the salmon migrate to the sea after 1-3 years, later returning to their natal freshwater habitat to spawn.

Watch brown bears attempting to catch migrating salmon >>

Spineless wonders

Freshwater invertebrates are vital components of the food web and essential to the maintenance of healthy functioning wetland ecosystems. Many species of dragonfly, including the spectacular emperor dragonfly, rely on wetlands themselves in order to reproduce.

Discover the lifecycle of the beautiful emperor dragonfly >>

Source of life

Reptiles, such as the Nile crocodile, flourish in the waters of the Nile, while fish, birds and mammals also rely on the river as a source of food and water. The Nile is also depended on by more than 300 million people for their water supply and the irrigation of seasonal crops.

Discover the attentive parenting of the female Nile crocodile >>

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