9 January 2012: The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) has announced that the Government of Indonesia has designated Pulau Rambut Wildlife Reserve as it sixth Wetland of International Importance. According to Ramsar, the wildlife sanctuary, located on a small atoll reef island northwest of Jakarta City, features several wetland habitat types, such as coral reefs, intertidal flats, mangrove forests, lagoons and seasonal freshwater marshes.

The site is an important transit station for migratory waterbirds and supports three internationally threatened bird species. It also provides breeding habitat for many waterbirds. Activities carried out on the site include small-scale traditional fishery and bird watching.

Indonesia’s designation contributes to one of the goals contained in the Ramsar Convention’s Strategic Plan for 2009-2015, which is to reach a protected area of 250 million hectares by 2015. [Ramsar Press Release]