Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Information Source: http://www.otterspecialistgroup.org/Bulletin/Volume28B/Brooks_et_al_2011.html
The Ramsar Convention is an environmental treaty established by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1971, which provides for international cooperation on the conservation of wetlands around the world. By 2011, 1,971 wetlands were listed as protected sites (known as Ramsar sites), which plays an important role in protecting and preserving wetland habitats
Among the 1,971 wetlands, there are 84 global Ramsar sites provided for the Smooth-coated Otter. Listing the wetlands as Protected Areas under the Ramsar Convention has provisionally halted the degradation of otter habitats around the world.
![](https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/hp3203-2017-02/files/2017/04/Brooks_et_al_2011_Fig9-13cedxa.jpg)
Global Ramsar sites for Smooth-coated Otters
Image Credit: Robert Brooks