Heritage with Related Tags
Laurisilva of Madeira
The Madeira Laurel Forest is an outstanding remnant of a formerly widespread laurel forest. It is the largest laurel forest in existence and is believed to be 90% original forest. It hosts a unique suite of flora and fauna, including many endemic species, such as the Madeira Long-toed Pigeon.
Lake Malawi National Park
Located at the southern end of the vast Lake Malawi, the national park is a deep, clear lake backed by mountains and home to hundreds of fish species, almost all of which are endemic. Its importance to evolutionary studies is comparable to that of the finches of the Galapagos Islands.
Marquesas Islands: The Land of Humankind
The Marquesas Islands are located in the South Pacific. Humans arrived by sea to these remote islands around 1000 AD. This mixed collection is an excellent example of this process and its development between the 10th and 19th centuries. It is also a biodiversity hotspot with an irreplaceable and well-preserved marine and terrestrial ecosystem. Characterized by steep ridges, majestic peaks and high sea-facing cliffs, the archipelago's natural landscape is unparalleled in the tropical region at this latitude. It is an important center of endemism, with rare and diverse plants, a rich variety of iconic marine species, and the most diverse population of seabirds in the South Pacific. The Marquesas waters are virtually unexplored by humans and are one of the few remaining marine wilderness areas in the world. Archaeological remains such as large dry stone structures, stone carvings and stone carvings are also preserved on the islands.
Lord Howe Island Group
These islands are outstanding examples of isolated oceanic islands, created by volcanic activity more than 2,000 metres below the seafloor, with spectacular topography and home to numerous endemic species, especially birds.
Coiba National Park and its Special Zone of Marine Protection
Located on the southwestern coast of Panama, Isla Coiba National Park protects the island of Coiba, 38 islets, and the surrounding marine areas within the Gulf of Chiriquí. Protected from cold winds and El Niño events, the Pacific Tropical Moist Forest of Isla Coiba maintains an exceptionally high endemism of mammals, birds, and plants, thanks to the continuous evolution of new species. It is also the last refuge for many endangered animals, such as the Crested Eagle. The site is an outstanding natural laboratory for scientific research, providing an important ecological link with the tropical eastern Pacific for the transit and survival of pelagic fish and marine mammals.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
It is home to two of the world's most active volcanoes: Mauna Loa (4,170 meters) and Kilauea (1,250 meters), both towering over the Pacific Ocean. Eruptions have created an ever-changing landscape, with lava flows revealing surprising geological formations. Rare birds and endemic species can be found here, as well as giant fern forests.
Ivindo National Park
Located on the equator in northern Gabon, the site covers nearly 300,000 hectares of mostly pristine conditions surrounded by a picturesque network of blackwater rivers. The site features rapids and waterfalls surrounded by intact rainforest, creating a landscape of great aesthetic value. The site’s aquatic habitats host endemic freshwater fish species, 13 of which are threatened, at least seven species of Podostemaceae river grasses, and each waterfall may have micro-endemic aquatic plants. Many of the fish species at the site have not yet been described, and parts of the site have barely been surveyed. The critically endangered slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus) has found sanctuary in Ivindo National Park, which also contains biogeographically unique native forests of the Caesalpinioideae species, with high conservation value, supporting, for example, a wide variety of butterflies and flagship mammals and birds at risk, such as the critically endangered forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), endangered chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus), as well as the vulnerable grey-necked rock grouse (Picathartes oreas), mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx), leopard (Panthera pardus), African golden cat (Caracal aurata) and three species of pangolins (Manidae spp.).
Pitons Management Area
The 2,909-hectare site near the town of Soufrière includes the Pitons, two volcanic spires that rise side by side from the sea (770 and 743 meters high, respectively) and are connected by the Pitonmitan Ridge. The volcanic complex includes a geothermal field with sulfur fumaroles and hot springs. Coral reefs cover nearly 60% of the marine area of the site. A survey found 168 species of fin fish, 60 species of cnidarians (including corals), 8 species of molluscs, 14 species of sponges, 11 species of echinoderms, 15 species of arthropods, and 8 species of annelid worms. The predominant terrestrial vegetation is tropical moist forest, transitioning gradually to subtropical moist forest, with small patches of dry forest and moist coppice on the mountaintops. At least 148 plant species are found on the Great Pitons and at least 97 species on the Little Pitons and its intervening ridge, including 8 rare tree species. The Greater Pitons are home to approximately 27 bird species (five of which are endemic), three native rodent species, one opossum species, three bat species, eight reptile species and three amphibian species.
Gough and Inaccessible Islands
Located in the South Atlantic, the site is one of the least disturbed island and marine ecosystems in the cold temperate zone. The spectacular cliffs of Gough and Inaxesible Islands rise above the sea, are free of introduced mammals and are home to one of the largest seabird colonies in the world. Gough Island has two endemic land birds, the waterhen and the Gough Island rowetti, and 12 endemic plant species, while Inaxesible Island has two bird species, eight plant species, and at least 10 endemic invertebrate species.
Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island
Located in southwestern Japan, the series of sites covers 42,698 hectares of subtropical rainforest on four islands, forming an arc on the border of the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea, with its highest point being Yumaru-dake on Amami Oshima, at 694 metres above sea level. The site is completely uninhabited and has a high biodiversity value, with a very high proportion of endemic species, many of which are globally endangered. The site is home to endemic plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, inland water fish and decapod crustaceans, such as the endangered Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) and the endangered Ryukyu woolly rat (Diplothrix legata), which represent ancient lineages with no living relatives anywhere in the world. Five mammals, three birds and three amphibians within the site have been globally recognised as Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species. In addition, many different endemic species are present on each island, which are not found elsewhere in the site.
Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary
The Mount Hamiguitan Wildlife Refuge is located in the southeastern part of the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor, a north-south ridge that runs along the Pujada Peninsula. The Refuge ranges from 75 to 1,637 meters above sea level and provides an important habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals. The Refuge showcases terrestrial and aquatic habitats at different altitudes and includes endangered and endemic plant and animal species, eight of which are found only in Mount Hamiguitan. These include critically endangered trees, plants, and the iconic Philippine Eagle and Philippine Cockatoo.
Shiretoko
The Shiretoko Peninsula is located northeast of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island. The site includes the land and surrounding marine areas from the middle of the peninsula to the tip of the peninsula (Cape Shiretoko). It is an outstanding example of the interaction of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and of extraordinary ecosystem productivity, which is largely influenced by the formation of seasonal sea ice at the lowest latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. It is of special importance for many marine and terrestrial species, some of which are endangered and endemic, such as the Black's Fish Owl and the Viola yedoensis plant. The site is of global importance for endangered seabirds and migratory birds, many salmon species, and marine mammals including Steller sea lions and some cetaceans.
Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex
The site is located on the Thai side of the Tanah Seremban Range, part of a north-south granite and limestone ridge running along the Malay Peninsula. Located at the intersection of the Himalayan, Indochinese and Sumatran faunal and flora zones, the property is rich in biodiversity. It is dominated by semi-evergreen/dry evergreen and moist evergreen forests, with some mixed deciduous, montane forests and deciduous dipterocarp forests. The property is reported to contain many endemic and globally endangered plant species, overlaps with two Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and is renowned for its rich bird diversity, including eight globally endangered species. The reserve is home to the critically endangered Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), the endangered Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus), the wild bull (Bos javanicus), the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), the yellow turtle (Indotestudo elongata), the endangered Asian giant tortoise (Manouria emys) and several other vulnerable bird and mammal species. Notably, it is also home to eight cat species: the endangered tiger (Panthera tigris) and fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), the Near Threatened leopard (Panthera pardus) and Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii), the vulnerable clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosi) and marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata), as well as the jungle cat (Felis chaus) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis).
Kakadu National Park
This unique archaeological and ethnographic reserve, located in the Northern Territory, has been inhabited continuously for over 40,000 years. Cave paintings, rock engravings and archaeological sites record the skills and lifestyles of the people who inhabited the area, from prehistoric hunter-gatherers to the Aboriginal people who still live there. It is an example of a unique complex of ecosystems, including tidal flats, floodplains, lowlands and plateaus, providing habitat for a variety of rare or endemic plant and animal species.
Sagarmatha National Park
Sagarmatha National Park is a unique region with rugged mountains, glaciers and deep valleys, the highest of which is the world's highest peak, Mount Everest (8,848 meters above sea level). The park is home to several rare species such as snow leopards and red pandas. The presence of the Sherpa people and their unique culture adds further interest to the place.
Greater Blue Mountains Area
The Greater Blue Mountains region consists of 1.03 million hectares of sandstone plateaus, escarpments and canyons, dominated by temperate eucalypt forests. The region, comprised of eight reserves, is renowned for its representation of the evolutionary adaptation and diversification of eucalypts during the post-Gondwanan isolation period of the Australian mainland. There are 91 species of eucalypts in the Greater Blue Mountains region, and the region is also noted for its exceptional representation of the structure and ecological diversity of eucalypts associated with a wide range of habitats. The region is an important representative of Australia's biodiversity, with 10% of vascular plants and a large number of rare or threatened species, including endemic and evolutionary relict species such as the Wollemi pine, which persist in highly restricted microsites.
Rock Islands Southern Lagoon
The Rock Islands Southern Lagoon covers 100,200 hectares and includes 445 uninhabited volcanic limestone islands. Many of these islands are distinctive mushroom-shaped, set in a turquoise lagoon and surrounded by coral reefs. Adding to the beauty of the site is a complex coral reef system with more than 385 species of coral and different types of habitats. They support a wide variety of plants, birds and marine life, including dugongs and at least thirteen species of sharks. The site has the highest density of marine lakes in the world, isolated bodies of seawater separated from the ocean by land barriers. They are a special feature of the islands, supporting a large number of endemic populations, and new species are being discovered all the time. The remains of stonework villages, as well as cemeteries and rock paintings bear witness to the organization of small island communities over three thousand years. The abandonment of villages in the 17th and 18th centuries illustrates the impact of climate change, population growth and subsistence behavior on societies living in marginal marine environments.
Karst wind tunnels in Ravno
<p>The karst wind caves of Ravno, located in the Dinaric Mountains, are world-renowned for their outstanding cave biodiversity and endemism. Known since ancient times, the well-preserved karst landscapes make it one of the world's most important hotspots for the diversity of cave-dwelling animals, especially underground aquatic animals. The caves are home to many vertebrates that are threatened worldwide, the only underground tube worms in the world, and a variety of plants that are endemic to the Balkans. In addition, some of the species found in the caves are relicts of the Tertiary and pre-Tertiary periods, many of whose close relatives became extinct a long time ago, and can therefore be called living fossils. </p>
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Sinharaja, located in southwestern Sri Lanka, is the country’s last remaining intact tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic, many of which are considered rare. There is a wealth of endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to more than 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic mammal and butterfly species, as well as a wide variety of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Sinharaja, located in southwestern Sri Lanka, is the country’s last remaining intact tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic, many of which are considered rare. There is a wealth of endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to more than 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic mammal and butterfly species, as well as a wide variety of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Sinharaja, located in southwestern Sri Lanka, is the country’s last remaining intact tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic, many of which are considered rare. There is a wealth of endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to more than 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic mammal and butterfly species, as well as a wide variety of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.
Río Abiseo National Park
The park was established in 1983 to protect the rainforest flora and fauna that are unique to this area of the Andes. The flora and fauna in the park have a high degree of endemism. The yellow-tailed woolly monkey, previously thought to be extinct, is found only in this area. Research conducted since 1985 has led to the discovery of 36 previously unknown archaeological sites at altitudes between 2,500 and 4,000 meters, which provide a good picture of pre-Inca society.
Los Katíos National Park
Los Katíos National Park is located in the northwest of Colombia and covers more than 72,000 hectares of low hills, forests and wet plains. The park is extremely rich in biodiversity and is home to many endangered animal species and many endemic plants.
Western Caucasus
The Western Caucasus, located in the westernmost part of the Caucasus Mountains, covers an area of more than 275,000 hectares, 50 km northeast of the Black Sea, and is one of the few large mountainous areas in Europe that has not been seriously affected by humans. Its subalpine and alpine pastures are only grazed by wild animals, and its large areas of undisturbed mountain forests extend from the lowlands to the subalpine zone, which are unique in Europe. The region has extremely diverse ecosystems, important endemic plants and wildlife, and is the origin and reintroduction site of the mountain subspecies of European bison.
Arabian Oryx Sanctuary
The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary is located within the Central Oman Desert and Coastal Hills biogeographic region. Seasonal fog and dew support a unique desert ecosystem, with a diverse flora that includes several endemic plants. Rare animals here include the first free-ranging herd of Arabian Oryx since the species became extinct in the wild in 1972, which was reintroduced in 1982. It is also the only wild breeding site for the endangered Houbara Bustard (a wading bird) in Arabia, as well as Nubian Ibex, Arabian wolves, honey badgers, caracals and the largest wild population of Arabian gazelles.
Alejandro de Humboldt National Park
The complex geology and varied topography have resulted in an unparalleled diversity of ecosystems and species in the Caribbean islands, creating one of the most biodiverse tropical islands on Earth. Many of the underlying rocks are toxic to plants, so species must adapt to these harsh conditions in order to survive. This unique evolutionary process has led to the emergence of many new species, and the park is one of the most important sites for the conservation of endemic plants in the Western Hemisphere. Endemism is also very high for both vertebrates and invertebrates.
Beijing Zoo
Beijing Zoo is located on Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, covering an area of about 86 hectares and 8.6 hectares of water surface. It is the largest urban zoo in China. Beijing Zoo was formerly known as Agricultural Experimental Field, Natural Museum, Wansheng Garden, and Xijiao Park. It is the earliest zoo in China with the most animal species. It has a history of more than 100 years since the 32nd year of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1906). There are streams, lakes, rockery paths, green forests and flowers, as well as children's playgrounds and animal activity areas in the park. The park is also equipped with service facilities such as restaurants and kiosks. The animal activity area of Beijing Zoo is 60,000 square meters. There are special buildings for various animals, such as rhino hall, hippo hall, lion and tiger mountain, bear mountain, monkey mountain, deer park, elephant house, antelope hall, giraffe hall, panda hall, marine beast hall, orangutan hall, amphibian and reptile hall, songbird hall, small zoo, etc. The rare animals that are native to China and have settled here include giant pandas, golden monkeys, Siberian tigers, white-lipped deer, elks (four-legged animals), ponies, and red-crowned cranes, as well as representative animals from all over the world, such as chimpanzees from Africa, kangaroos from Australia, jaguars, Mexican manatees, hairless dogs, and European bison. The Amphibian and Reptile Museum has two floors, with 90 large and small display boxes, displaying more than 100 species of reptiles from all over the world, including the world's largest crocodile - the saltwater crocodile.