Skip to content
Donate

Freshwater habitats

Around 3% of the water on Earth is fresh water; much of this is ice, but the rest forms a wide variety of biodiverse freshwater habitats, including rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, streams and other types of wetlands, such as swamps and marshes.

Freshwater bodies can be running or still and either permanent or temporary habitats (such as those that are seasonal). Most freshwater habitats are teeming with nature, supporting a range of plant and animal species from common fish and algae, to critically endangered species, like the Irrawaddy dolphin and Siamese crocodile.

Freshwater environments are carefully balanced ecosystems, but this delicate balance faces a number of threats – not least from human-driven pollution and overexploitation.

Why are freshwater habitats important?

Not only do freshwater habitats support the survival of myriad plant and animal species, but approximately two billion people worldwide depend on freshwater biodiversity for food and livelihoods. We use freshwater for everything from drinking, cooking, fishing and crop irrigation to transportation, energy production and waste disposal.

Are freshwater habitats disappearing?

Due to our heavy reliance on freshwater ecosystems, over time humans have had a severe impact on their health. Many habitats have been severely degraded and even destroyed.

Drained wetlands; dammed rivers that impede migratory species and disrupt natural river flow; and flood prevention measures that degrade wetland habitats and silt up riverbeds and coastal habitats are just a handful of the ways in which humans have degraded freshwater habitats.

Activities on land also have an impact: deforestation of upstream watersheds can cause severe flooding downstream, as well as sedimentation that can choke aquatic and coastal habitats. Industrial pollution can poison freshwater wildlife, while agricultural run-off and sewage can upset the nutrient balance of the water.

Fauna & Flora’s work to protect freshwater habitats

Across the world, the urgency of protecting our planet’s fresh water is becoming increasingly clear. Fauna & Flora works to conserve a number of freshwater habitats, and the species that rely on them, by collaborating with local communities, organisations and governments.

In Myanmar, for example, one of our priorities is ensuring that Indawgyi Lake – a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – is sustainably managed for the benefit of both local communities and biodiversity. This work includes supporting alternative livelihoods that do not rely so heavily on the resources of the lake and building the capacity of local authorities to mitigate the many threats to Indawgyi’s natural resources.

Fisherman fishing in a canoe, Indawgyi Lake, Myanmar. © Jeremy Holden / Fauna & Flora

Fisherman fishing in a canoe, Indawgyi Lake, Myanmar. © Jeremy Holden / Fauna & Flora

Fisherman fishing in a canoe, Indawgyi Lake, Myanmar.

Conservation Impact Report 2023
Sunda pangolin, Cambodia. © Leon Tolkovsky / Fauna & Flora
Publication

Conservation Impact Report 2023

This report pulls together data from across our projects to give an overview of our conservation impact in 2023.
Download
Conservation Impact Report 2022
Diving picture of Mediterranean monk seal, Gokova Bay Turkey. © Zafer Kizilkaya
Publication

Conservation Impact Report 2022

The Conservation Impact Report seeks to demonstrate the impact of Fauna & Flora’s conservation work and the changes that...
Africa
Americas & Caribbean
Asia-Pacific
Eurasia
Download
Conserving Siamese crocodiles in Cambodia
Head Warden, Sim Khmao releasing a Siamese crocodile at Chhay Reap, Cambodia. © Pablo Sinovas / Fauna & Flora
Project

Conserving Siamese crocodiles in Cambodia

Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia
Fauna & Flora is working with the Cambodian government and local communities to safeguard the remaining wild populations...
Siamese crocodile
Siamese crocodile. © Jeremy Holden / Fauna & Flora
Species

Siamese crocodile

Discover how one of the world's rarest reptiles is rebounding from the brink of extinction after its rediscovery by Faun...