PLACES IN DANGER OF DISAPPEARING
Added on: 21st Jul 2015
NAURU
Found on a 21sq km (8sq mi) oval-shaped island in the south western
Pacific Ocean, just 42 kilometres (26 mi) south of the Equator, Nauru is
the second smallest country in the world, after the Vatican. Similarly
to some other little island countries in the Pacific Ocean, Nauru is
threatened by rising ocean levels. With the highest point of the country
standing just 71 metres (233ft) tall, the island could soon be washed away.
THE TWELVE APOSTLES, AUSTRALIA
The Twelve Apostles is a collection of limestone stacks off the shore
of the Port Campbell National Park in Victoria, Australia. Although it’s
still known as the Twelve Apostles, there are currently just eight stacks
remaining. The wave erosion has caused them to erode by 2 cm (0.8 inch)
per year, forcing four apostles to collapse.
MADAGASCAR FOREST
Located in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar is a Southeast African
island country and home to tropical rainforest and numerous animal
species 90% of which are endemic. But the unique ecosystem has
been endangered by logging, poaching and pollution. Since the
arrival of humans, the island has lost more than 90% of its original
forest. If appropriate actions are not taken to save the nature, the
forest and its unique inhabitants are expected to vanish
in three decades.
FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER, NEW ZEALAND
Situated on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island, the Franz
Josef Glacier is major tourist site of the region, attracting about
250,000 visitors annually. The glacier was growing until as late as
2008 but since then it has entered a very rapid phase of retreat and
according to some estimates, it can disappear for good
within a hundred years.
RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK, INDIA
Covering an area of about 400sq km (155sq mi), the Ranthambore
National Park is one of the largest national parks in northern India.
The park itself also struggles with some environmentalist issues but it’s
The tiger, the park´s most famous inhabitant, who may vanish soon.
Due to poaching, the numbers of these amazing cats have drastically
dwindled in the park and biologists say if immediate action is not taken,
they might die out within the next 15 years.
CONGO BASIN, WEST AFRICA
Occupying a total area of 3.7 million sq km (1.4 million sq mi),
the Congo Basin is home to some of the world´s largest tropical
rainforests that produce up to 40% of world´s oxygen. However,
almost 10 million acres of the forests are lost due to mining,
agriculture, illegal logging, and wars every year. It is estimated
that up to 2/3 of the forests will be gone by 2040.
YANGTZE RIVER AREA, CHINA
With a length of about 6,300 kilometres (almost 4,000 miles), Yangtze
is the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the world.
The river basin is the main source of water for hundreds of millions
of people and countless animal and plant species but the Chinese
government has used the river for the megalomaniac dam projects,
cutting hundreds of nearby lakes off the river. The shrinking lakes
have been seriously affecting local ecosystems.
EVERGLADES, FLORIDA
Found in southern Florida, the Everglades are a natural region of
tropical wetlands that provide natural habitats for numerous fauna
and flora species including the extremely rare Florida panther. Human
expansion, pollution and farming have already taken over and
destroyed more than half of this unique and fragile ecosystem.
Fortunately, efforts have been made to save the Everglades so
hopefully, next generations will also get to see this amazing
piece of land.
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