IUCN Lists Western Ghats, Manas & Sundarbans as ‘Ailing’ Heritage Sites

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed India’s Western Ghats, Manas National Park (Assam), and Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal) on its list of ailing natural World Heritage sites in Asia (excluding Arab countries). The findings were published in the latest World Heritage Outlook 4 report.

India’s Sites of “Significant Concern”

• Manas National Park and Sundarbans National Park have both been rated as having a “significant concern” conservation outlook.
• Both parks are transboundary ecosystems — Manas extends into Bhutan, and the Sundarbans into Bangladesh.
• The Western Ghats, one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity, has also been placed in the “significant concern” category.

Overall Status of Asian World Heritage Sites

• Total sites assessed: 63
• Good: 17%
• Good with some concerns: 51%
• Significant concern: 30%
• Critical: 1 site — Indonesia’s Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra

Indian Sites with “Good with Some Concerns” Outlook

Four of India’s World Heritage natural sites have been rated as “good with some concerns”:

1. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (Himachal Pradesh)
2. Kaziranga National Park (Assam)
3. Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan)
4. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (Uttarakhand)

Bright Spot: Khangchendzonga National Park

• Sikkim’s Khangchendzonga National Park stands out as the only Indian site rated “good”, among 11 such sites across Asia.
• The report lauded its effective conservation management and community engagement efforts.

Emerging Threats to World Heritage Sites

• Climate change has become the most prevalent threat, replacing hunting (which held the top spot in 2020).
• Tourism pressure remains the second greatest threat.
• Invasive alien species have risen to become the third major threat, a new entry among the top three since 2020.

Positive Examples and Community Engagement

The report praised several Asian sites for engaging younger generations and local communities in conservation through education and outreach.
Examples cited include:

• Mount Wuyi (China)
• Sinharaja Forest Reserve (Sri Lanka)

Significance

The IUCN findings highlight the urgent need for enhanced protection measures in India’s ecologically rich but vulnerable World Heritage sites. Strengthening climate resilience, tourism management, and invasive species control will be crucial to sustaining their Outstanding Universal Value.

(Source: TH)