AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TONDA WETLANDS IN SOUTH WESTERN PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO SHOREBIRDS AND WATERBIRDS.

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Ramsar Sites

The Tonda Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is the only Ramsar site in the south Pacific region outside Australia. It was declared a Ramsar site on 23rd March, 1993 because it is believed to support internationally significant populations of both resident and migratory shorebirds and waterbirds and is probably an important staging point for shorebirds during migration between eastern Australia and the breeding grounds in eastern Russia.