Rasmussen Lowlands

Rasmussen Lowlands
Coordinates68°40′N 093°00′W / 68.667°N 93.000°W / 68.667; -93.000
Area3,000 km2 (1,200 sq mi)
Designated24 May 1982
Reference no.247[1]

The Rasmussen Lowlands is a 3,000 km2 coastal plain complex of wetlands in the Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut, Canada. It was designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance by the Ramsar Convention on May 24, 1982.[2] It is also classified as an Important Bird Area.[3]

The poorly drained area consists of flat lowlands overlain by marine silts and sand, with numerous tundra ponds throughout.[4]

Shorebirds numbering up to 500,000 individuals [4] nest in the ponds and surrounding areas. The vulnerable peregrine falcon nests in the adjacent escarpment, with nearly 6% (80 pairs) of the national population observed here in 1995.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Rasmussen Lowlands". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Rasmussen Lowlands, Nunavut". Ramsar Sites. Environment Canada. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  3. ^ a b "Rasmussen Lowlands". IBA Canada. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  4. ^ a b "The Annotated Ramsar List: Canada". The Annotated Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. Ramsar Convention Bureau. 2000-01-10. Archived from the original on 2007-12-30. Retrieved 2008-01-29.