Monrovia, Feb. 3 -- Liberia's wetlands are rapidly disappearing due to illegal settlements, weak enforcement of environmental laws, and public neglect, with the Mesurado Wetlands in Greater Monrovia among the hardest hit, environmental authorities warned during World Wetlands Day.

EPA officials revealed severe ecological damage, including the loss of 19 of 27 natural islands in the Mesurado River Basin and shrinking habitats for wildlife, while former and current EPA leaders blamed poor enforcement, illegal construction, mangrove cutting, waste dumping, and misguided land sales by local authorities.

The EPA announced a US$3.2 million Wetland Protection Program targeting the Mesurado and Marshall wetlands, but stressed that protecting w...