YANGON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Inle Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in eastern Myanmar was recently designated as the East Asian-Australasian Flyway network site (EAAF), official media reported Thursday.
Located in Shan state, the second largest lake of the country enlisted as the sixth flyway network site in Myanmar, following Gulf of Mottama, Indawgyi Wildlife Sanctuary, Moeyungyi Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary, Nanthar Island and Mayyu Estauries and Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary.
The designation would assist the long-term conservation of migratory water birds and utilization of wetlands, an official of the forest department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation was quoted as saying.
Being a home to diversity of birds, fish and other biodiversity, Inle Lake was selected as Ramsar Site or Wetland of International Importance by Ramsar Convention in 2018 and designated as Myanmar's first United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve in 2015.
Established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1985, the lake was designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBAS) in 2004 as well as a Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Heritage Park in 2003, respectively.
