Let’s protect these 10 most irreplaceable places on Earth

A brand new study published within the journal Science has identified greater than 100 irreplaceable environments, regions where many animal and plant species can’t be found anywhere else on Earth.

A complete of 137 areas were chosen out of 173,000 “protected areas”. Protected areas cover 13% of the Earth’s surface. These are a few of the biologically richest ecosystems on the planet, but they face constant threats and are sometimes poorly managed.

The best places were awarded consequently of two combined rankings: irreplaceable for threatened species and irreplaceable for all species (threatened and non-threatened).

Each protected area was analyzed individually. However, sometimes regions overlap, effectively protecting the identical species. For this reason, researchers combined adjoining or overlapping protected areas into 78 clusters all over the world.

Here are a few of the most irreplaceable areas – from 10 different clusters.

• Cainama National Park – Venezuela

The flat mountains of Canaima National Park in southeastern Venezuela are among the many oldest rock formations on the planet and were the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s adventure novel “The Lost World.” Canaima can also be home to the world’s tallest waterfall, Angel Falls, which is 15 times higher than Niagra Falls at 3,212 feet.

• Wet Tropic of Queensland (Australia)

Queensland’s Wet Tropics cover roughly 3,500 square miles of Australian forest. Thirteen mammals living within the humid tropics are found nowhere else on the planet. These include the ring-tailed green possum and kangaroo rats.

• Palawan Refuge and Bird Sanctuary (Philippines)

The Palawan Bird Sanctuary and Sanctuary within the Philippines is home to the endangered Palawan horned frog, the defenseless Palawan peacock-pheasant, and the critically endangered Philippine cockatoo. Unfortunately, the natural forest is being destroyed by mining and palm oil production.

• Lorentz National Parks (Indonesia)

Lorentz National Park, positioned within the Indonesian province of Papua, is the biggest protected area in Southeast Asia. It stretches for over 150 km through a singular range of ecosystems, from glaciers to mangroves to lowland forests.

• Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia)

Sierra Nevada De Santa Marta, a mountain refuge for a whole lot of species, is positioned in northern Colombia, on the Caribbean coast. This region is home to over 600 species of birds, including the Red-headed Spine and the White Warbler, which can’t be found anywhere else on the planet. Some amphibians and reptiles that live at altitudes of over 3,000 meters are also found only on this a part of the world. The nature reserve faces threats from population encroachment and illegal drug cultivation.

• Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

The Galapagos Islands, positioned roughly 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador within the Pacific Ocean, are considered one among the biologically richest marine ecosystems on the planet. Species found nowhere else on Earth, similar to the large tortoise, have evolved here in relative isolation for 4 million years. Currently, the islands face threats from invasive species similar to pigs, rats and ants.

• Western Ghats (India)

The Western Ghats, stretching for nearly 1,500 km from northern Mumbai to the southern tip of India, are home to at the least 300 endangered species. The world’s largest population of Asian elephants is within the Southwest Ghats, as are 10% of the world’s tigers. The dense forests of the Ghats are threatened by logging, road construction and clearing of farmlands.

– Eastern Rainforest (Madagascar)

The Atsinanana rainforest in Madagascar is a very important habitat for at the least 25 species of lemurs, including the critically endangered silky sifaka. The best threat to this animal comes from illegal logging and hunting.

• Islands and guarded areas of the Gulf of California (Mexico and United States)

Between the Mexican mainland and Baja California is a region often known as the Gulf of California Islands and Protected Areas. The bay was described by Jacques Cousteau as “the aquarium of the world”, but is currently facing pressure from climate change, industrial fishing and pollution. These waters are home to the world’s smallest and most endangered porpoise, the vaquita. It can also be a very important breeding ground for the blue whale, the biggest animal on the planet.

• La Amistad/Talamanca Highlands (Costa Rica and Panama)

The La Amistad/Talamanca Highlands, managed by Costa Rica and Panama, are the biggest nature reserve in Central America. Most of the realm is roofed with tropical rainforests. The region incorporates at the least 90% of Costa Rica’s plant species and is home to a various range of fauna and flora, including the ocelot, the Central American ground squirrel and the large anteater.

Source: Science.com | Business expert