© Peter Chadwick/WWF
You're right—a savanna is not a type of wetland.
Rivers, marshes, bogs, mangroves, mudflats, ponds, swamps, billabongs, lagoons, lakes, and floodplains are among the types of wetlands around the world. Most large wetland areas often include a combination of different types of freshwater systems.
A wetland is a place in which the land is covered by water—salt, fresh, or somewhere in between—either seasonally or permanently. It functions as its own distinct ecosystem. You can recognize wetlands from other types of land or bodies of water primarily by the vegetation that has adapted to wet soil.
Wetlands are so important for life on Earth. They're natural waste-water treatment facilities and carbon-storing champions. And they’re crucial for food security. They also provide flood control, clean water, shoreline and storm protection, materials, medicines, and vital habitat.
A wide variety of wildlife lives in wetlands. Birds—including ducks, geese, kingfishers, and sandpipers—use wetlands as pit stops during long migrations, providing them with protection and food. Mammals like otters, beavers, and even tigers rely on wetlands to find food and shelter. And, of course, wetlands are home to many types of fish.
See more photos of wetlands and learn more about them.
