29 January 2013: The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) has reported that the Government of the Dominican Republic has designated the Parque Nacional Manglares del Bajo Yuna as its third Wetland of International Importance.

According to the Ramsar Secretariat, the site is a large subtropical coastal wetland located in the Samaná Bay, with a predominance of mangroves. It supports various species at risk of extinction and provides a refuge for seven endemic bird species.

The Dominican Republic’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]