My Science School

Covering an area of more than 180 sq.km., the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is located in the western part of Africa, straddling the borders of Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire. Towering over the region is Mount Nimba. One of the highest elevation forest ecosystems in this part of the continent, the area is a stunning mosaic of valleys, plateaus, and cliffs. The slopes of the mountain are marked by dense forests and savannahs, offering fantastic habitats for a wide variety of flora and fauna, many of them endemic to the region. The Reserve is said to support more than 2,000 species of plants, 300 species of vertebrates, and 2.500 species of invertebrates. Among its most noted endemic species are micropotamogale (otter shrew- an insectivore), the viviparous toad (unusually for a reptile, it gives birth to young ones rather than lay eggs), and "chimpanzees capable of using tools". These creatures, however, are critically endangered or are on the brink of extinction. In fact, this Reserve was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 for its "Outstanding Universal Value". But, 11 years from then, it fell under the "List of World Heritage in Danger, and remains there. While activities such as poaching and clearing the land for agriculture have had a negative bearing on the Reserve, long-term mining just outside of it too has been a cause of grave concern.

Wildlife

Among the birds that can be spotted here are ducks, garganeys, guineafowls, quails, francolins, grebes, pigeons, doves, nightjars, swifts, coucals, cuckoos, rails, flufftails. Turacos, storks, herons, bitterns, egrets, ibises, stilts, lapwings, plovers, jacanas, sandpipers, kites, buzzards, vultures, hawks, eagles, owls, owlets, trogons, hombills, hoopoes, honeyguides, woodpeckers, barbets, tinkerbirds, bee-eaters, rollers, kingfishers, falcons, kestrels, pittas, broadbills, orioles, cuckooshrikes, flycatchers, drongos, sunbirds, weavers, finches, waxbills, sparrows, pipits, buntings, larks, warblers, swallows, martins, babblers, starlings, and robins.

Threats

The conservation outlook for this site has been assessed as "critical" in the latest assessment cycle (2020) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. According to the report, several aspects such as poaching, bush fires, and increasing human activity on the periphery of the Reserve are all together putting pressure on it, and causing "progressive ecological isolation of the region. Adding to the concern is the fact that "the buffer zone is not very functional in Guinea and does not exist in Ivory Coast". Further, many iron mining projects happen to occur close to Reserve's boundaries in Guinea. This points to open pit mining, and it could have a negative impact on wildlife, especially key species, and habitats, particularly if their effects are continuous. Though the Reserve straddles the borders of two countries, there is no transboundary master plan in place. In fact there is no common management system for the whole region either. This could be one of the main reasons for poaching. It could also be aggravated by the lack of good monitoring. Unlike in many regions across the world local communities here are not engaged that well in conservation initiatives or for that matter, even the development of alternative income generating activities is insufficient to reduce the pressure on natural resources”.

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On the world's largest island is located the world's largest national park. The Northeast Greenland National Park (in Greenland) spans more than nine-and-a-half lakh sq.km... which is, in fact, larger than several countries in the world! Also the northernmost national park in the world, it was set up in 1974 to govern this uninhabited region. It remains uninhabited to this day and has no permanent residents. While the place is visited only by researchers and scientists, sealers and whalers have regular access to the region. Offering spectacular scenery, this Park is significant as a biosphere reserve for a variety of tundra vegetation and wildlife. The region is said to have a very high concentration of musk ox close to about half the world's population.

Wildlife

While a majority of the birds here is migratory, the Park nurtures more than 50 species of permanent breeders. The birds that can be spotted here include geese, eiders, ducks, divers, fulmars, cormorants, plovers, sandpipers, razorbills, puns, skuas, gulls, terns, eagles, falcons, doves, ptarmigans, black ravens, snow buntings, pipits, and wheatears. The animals roaming the region include polar bears, seals, grey wolves, Arctic hares, Arctic foxes, caribou, walruses, and musk oxen.

Threats

Greenland's only national park is not without its share of concerns. Since the region does not have permanent residents, direct threats from humans hardly exist. However, climate change, considered by many to be the direct result of human activity has its impact on the region. Rising global temperature, rising sea levels, and intensification of extreme events are of great concern, and could impact the landscape and the wildlife of the region. In fact, a study by scientists last year revealed that another threat to Greenland's glaciers is lurking beneath the ice. It has been long-known that increasing air temperatures are adding to the surface melting on the island's ice sheet. But the new study discovered that warm ocean water moving beneath the vast glaciers is causing them to melt even more quickly. The study focussed on a glacier in northeast Greenland. Interestingly, a more recent study - earlier this month - stated that these very glaciers could help offset the effects of climate change.

A wonder material!

As a consequence of global warming, Greenland glaciers are retreating. But these retreating glaciers also expose ultra-fine silt deposit. "Known as glacial rock flour, the silt is crushed to nano-particles by the weight of the retreating ice sheet, which deposits roughly one billion tonnes of it on the world's largest island per year." It has been learnt that the silt could actually be used as nutrient-rich mud on agricultural lands for boosting agricultural output. And not just that. They also absorb carbon dioxide from the air in the process. It has been found that "adding 25 tonnes of glacial rock flour per hectare increased crop yield on barley fields in Denmark by 30%", and also "researchers from the University of Ghana, managed to increase maize yields by 30% using glacial rock flour to offset the impact of rain and heat on poor farmland", offering a glimpse of what is perhaps a rare benefit from global warming?

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Prairies are basically grasslands found in temperate regions. The Canadian prairies span the southern part of the three provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in the country's western area and cover a vast area running to a few thousand sq.km. Essentially, this region begins where the Rocky Mountains end, giving way to grass fields, plains, forests, and lowlands. A part of the prairies is treeless but some underpopulated areas within the region are more forested and hilly. The area is considered the breadbasket of Canada, thanks to the domination of arable land within its limits. However, it also supports a large number of fauna, especially birds, since the grasslands and croplands are dotted with several wetlands. This area is not without its concerns, though. The population of grassland birds has been declining due to land degradation and infrastucture development, among other reasons.

Wildlife

Among the animals that can be spotted in the region are rabbits, prairie dogs, coyotes, beavers, bears, caribou, wolves, and buffalo. In fact, the American buffalo is seen as being synonymous with the prairies. Though this mammal's population declined drastically a few decades ago, conscious conservation efforts have helped improve the numbers. The birds that can be sighted here include ducks, geese, shovelers, teals, quails, sage grouses, grebes, doves, egrets, herons, cormorants, avocets, plovers, sandpipers, hawks, owls, woodpeckers, flycatchers, longspurs, sparrows, warblers, swallows, and wrens.

Threats

One of the major concerns about Canadian prairies has been the loss of grasslands, and the rate at which this loss has been occurring. It is said that the loss is so high and fast that it is comparable to what is happening to the Amazon rainforests in South America. Apparently, more than 70 % of the original prairie grasslands have been converted to other uses such as agriculture and industry, according to Nature Convervancy Canada, a land conservation organisation. And this shrinking of grasslands has been affecting wildlife in the region, particularly the migratory birds. Over 60 rare species have called the region their home. In addition, annually, millions of migratory birds visit these prairies. But that's changing. Over the last four decades, some bird species have lost 70 per cent of their population" and "unless something is done the decline will continue". And, it's not just the bird species, this puts at risk even animals such as plains bison and swift fox. These grasslands also comprise wetlands, lakes, rivers, and valleys which mean that apart from the resident and migrating birds the region also supports a large variety of fishes, and these species could be affected too.

Like a lot of other grasslands in the world, the Canadian prairies are intensely grazed by cattle, goats, and sheep, thereby replacing wild animals. This is unfortunate considering Canada has a long history of sustainable grazing. However, in the past, Canada has shown remarkable vision, and worked on conservation and also succeeded. And that's what it must do again if the grasslands have to be saved before it is too late.

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Covering an area of more than 560 sq.km., the Monarch Buttery Biosphere Reserve is located nearly 160 km from Mexico's capital Mexico City. As the name implies, the Reserve is renowned for the North American monarch butterflies that fill the area during their annual migration. Every year, up to a billion of these butterflies spend the winter at the oyamel fir (a native tree) forests of central Mexico. It is said that the butterflies arrive as dosed packs and land in more than 10 colonies in these forests. The Reserve spans eight of these colonies. In 2008, the Reserve was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site of "Outstanding Universal Value". The dramatic decline in the number of migrating monarch butterflies, one of the endangered species of Mexico, over the last few decades has been of grave concern in fact, it is said to have reached a 20-year low during the 2013-2014 season.

An incredible journey

Considered one of the most amazing natural events to happen on our planet, the annual migration of the North American monarch butterflies occurs between their home range in Canada and the U.S. and their winter stop-over in southern California and central Mexico more than 3,000 km away! The epic journey begins around November before cold weather sets in their home range, and when it ends in Mexico, there are about a billion of those butterflies painting the trees a lovely orange and bending their branches under their collective weight. It is said that each complete journey holds within it the cycle of birth and death, meaning that the butterfly that begins the journey need not be the one that returns home. Many males may die before the females lay their eggs and die themselves and the journey is continued by the new generation that bursts forth into the scene. Though there are many theories and ongoing studies on the subject, it has remained a mystery as to how newer generations continue to follow the same route their ancestors did.

Threats

According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) latest assessment cycle, the conservation outlook for the region is that of "significant concern". It lists three major threats for the butterflies in their range. Among the most critical is the deforestation and degradation of forest by illegal logging of overwintering sites in México. The next is the widespread reduction of breeding habitat in the US due to land-use changes and the decrease of this butterfly's main larval food plant - the common milkweed. The reduction is deeply connected with the use of a certain herbicide that kills these weeds. The other reason is the extreme weather conditions experienced throughout the butterfly's range during the year.

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Covering almost the whole of the Arabian Peninsula, the Arabian Desert is the largest desert of Asia and among the world's largest. Located on the southwestern part of the continent, the desert spans about 23,00,000 sq.km. Though the largest part of the desert lies in Saudi Arabia, it also spills over to other countries such as Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, and Jordan. Rub al-Khali, which makes up the most part of this desert, is the largest continuous area of sand in the world. Though the Arabian Desert gives the impression of simply being a sand-covered expanse, it is not really so. It supports a great variety of trees and plants such as succulents and palms adapted well to salt water or to limited availability of water. The central portion of the desert supports a number of herbs and flowering plants. All these, in turn, nurture several types of animals, birds, reptiles, and insects found in the region. Among the threats facing the desert are grazing, development projects, and oil surveys.

Wildlife

Dominating the landscape are numerous desert insects, including mosquitoes, fleas, ants, termites, beetles, locusts, spiders, butterflies, and caterpillars. Scorpions, salamanders, frogs, toads, lizards, geckos, and vipers too are found in the region. Among the birds seen here are both resident and migrant species such as larks, sandgrouses, coursers, bustards, falcons, kestrels, ravens, eagles, vultures, kites, warblers, babblers, bee eaters, swallows, martins, swifts, wheatears, flycatchers, starlings, and hoopoes. The mammals that can be spotted in the area include gazelles, oryx ibex foxes, civets, hyenas, jackals, jerboas, hares, porcupines, mice, hedgehogs, and baboons.

Threats

As mentioned earlier, development is a huge problem in the Arabain Desert. But there's an equally, or perhaps, even a greater threat to the region-desertification. Arable land is land that can be put to good agricultural use. Desertification is the process in which productive drylands lose their ability to do so, due to climate change and/ or human activity. And that's what's happening in the Arabian Desert-arable land is turning into desert at an alarming rate. According to reports from just a couple of years ago, "70-90% of the Arabian Peninsula under threat of desertification". Among the reasons attributed to this is the use of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture. As it is the environment has been harsh due to very high temperatures, low rainfall, and high humidity. But this is now aggravated due to climate change. Desertification also leads to extreme drought, floods, and even food shortage. Ever since oil was discovered in the region, settlements increased, adding stress to lands. Subsequent increase in livestock numbers and overgrazing led to further land degradation, and even loss of biodiversity. If this continues without any long-term solution or immediate intervention and remedial action, it would lead not just to continued loss of biodiversity but will impact even the people in the region negatively.

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Science has made progress in leaps and bounds over the years. Something such as the revival of an extinct species might have seemed possible only in our dreams. But today, thanks to science, several extinct species can be brought back to life. This process called de extinction and is mostly done through gene editing.

Gene editing or genome editing is a group of technologies that give scientists the chance to change an organism's DNA by adding, removing or altering gene material at particular locations in the genome

One of the more recent gene editing technologies is called CRISPR-Cas9, short for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. The system is believed to be more secure, faster, cheaper, more accurate and more efficient than any other gene editing methods. Currently, most of the research is on understanding diseases using cells and animal models, Scientists are still trying to find out if it is safe and effective to use gene editing in people. While genome editing is of great interest in the treatment and prevention of human diseases such as sickle cell disease and hemophilia, there are ethical concerns about its use.

If fallen into the wrong hands, it can alter a person's characteristics and mess with the way the person was born. It can suddenly make someone taller or leaner and can become more for cosmetic than for health reasons. Gene editing can also impact the future generations of the person who undergoes it if the editing is done to genes in the germline cells (egg and sperm cells)

Genome editing is also currently used for genetically modified (GM) food-food that grows from an organism whose genes have been altered. While scientists argue that GM foods are as safe for humans as conventional foods, people have been careful Questions have been raised about the safety and regulation of such foods and many countries have either banned their use or are making such foods go through strict regulation.

While the idea of gene editing is to tackle diseases, make food and crops cheaper, and bring back extinct species and their roles, it is a way of messing with what is naturally found on Earth using science. So, is it really necessary? May be or may be not.

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Located in the African country of Ethiopia, the Simien Mountains National Park covers an area of more than 135 sq.km. The region is a stunning landscape, a mosaic marked by undulating plateaus, sharp cliffs, and deep valleys. Part of a biodiversity hotspot that's home to several globally threatened species, the Park was set up in 1969, especially to conserve these species. The region is also an Important Bird Area. The Park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. However, the site was added to the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1996 due to the impact of a new road across it, excessive cattle grazing, agricultural encroachment and a drop in the Walia ibex Simien fox and other large mammal populations". Inadequate infrastructure, encroachment, and destruction of habitat were concerns too. After this, slowly, things began to change. Finally, appreciative of Ethopia's commitment to building another road and to the overall conservation of the region, UNESCO removed the Park from the Danger list in 2017.

Wildlife

As an Important Bird Area, the Park is said to nurture over 130 species of birds. Among these are ravens, eagles, buzzards, kites, falcons, hawks, kestrels, pigeons, doves, larks, starlings, wheatears, vultures, ibises, thrushes, kingfishers, francolins, pipits, parrots, ducks, geese, crakes, quails, herons, egrets, storks, bustards, thickknees, plovers. lapwings, gulls, terns, sandgrouses, cuckoos, coucals, owls, nightjars, swifts, beeeaters, barbets, woodpeckers, swallows, warblers, flycatchers, babblers, sunbirds, weavers, buntings, seedeaters, and sparrows. Among the most prominent endemic species in the region are the Walya ibex, Simien fox or Ethiopian wolf and gelada baboon, in addition to six species of birds. It is home to several other mammal species too. They include Anubis baboon, Hamadryas baboon, klipspringer, and golden jackal.

Threats

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the conservation outlook for this site has been assessed as "significant concern in the latest assessment cycle (2020). The first natural site in Africa to be inscribed on the World Heritage list Simien National Park is located in the thickly populated Ethiopian highlands. And, that is the site's greatest threat because these inhabitants are extensively dependent on the region's natural resources for their existence. It is said that the number of people living around the Park has increased four times in just the last four decades. And this clearly impacts the wildlife in numerous ways. For one, some areas have come under cultivation, resulting in the loss of wildlife habitat. Further, a large portion has been used for intensive grazing by domestic livestock. Reports suggest that there are proposals to construct lodges inside the Park. This is contrary to the recommendations of UNESCO after it removed the Park from its Danger List. If these lodges are constructed, the presence of tourists would further affect the biodiversity of the region.

Some good news!

Despite all these, the population of many animals, including the highly endangered Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf "as well as the endemic gelada, are reported to be stable thanks to the efforts of the park's management and its partners. However, unless urgent and concrete steps are taken to preserve the wildlife, those populations may not continue to remain so.

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Contiguous with the Serengeti National Park along the Kenya-Tanzania border, the Maasai Mara National Reserve in south-western Kenya is one of the best-known and most-visited in the African continent Sprawling across more than 1,500 sq. km, and lying in the Rift Valley, the regions's vegetation is varied from rolling grasslands and riverine forests to woodlands, swamps, and scrub. Teeming with wildlife, the Reserve is most noted for the Big Five - lion, cheetah, wild buffalo, rhinoceros, and wild elephant and for hosting the world's most spectacular show in the wild- the annual wildebeest migration. In a circuitous journey, more than a million wildebeest, along with thousands of zebras and gazelles cross the crocodile-filled Mara river and brave several other predators such as lions during the journey between Serengeti and this Reserve.

Wildlife

The birds of the Reserve are ostriches, grebes, pelicans, cormorants, darters, herons, egrets, bitterns, storks, ibises, spoonbills, ducks, geese, secretary birds. vultures, eagles, kites, harriers, hawks, falcons, kestrels, quails, buttonquails, francolins, guineafowls, rails, crakes, moorhens, cranes, bustards, jacanas, stilts, thickknees, coursers, plovers, lapwings, painted snipes, sandpipers, terns, pigeons, doves, parrots, cuckoos, coucals, owls, nightjars, swifts, mousebirds, trogons, kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, hoopoes, hornbills, barbets, tinkerbirds. honeyguides, woodpeckers, wrynecks, larks, swallows, and martins. Impalas, wildebeest, antelopes, gazelles, rhinoceroses, zebras, elephants, buffaloes, pangolins, mongooses, hyenas, leopards, lions, cheetahs, foxes, jackals, wild dogs, honey badgers, monkeys, baboons, fruit bats, hares, squirrels, porcupines, hippopotamuses, warthogs, and giraffes are the mammals one can spot here, in addition to a whole lot of reptiles and amphibians such as tortoises, terrapins, snakes, lizards, toads, and frogs.

Threats

Among the Reserve's threats and concerns are poaching for ivory and meat, encroachment, land used for agriculture, human-wildlife conflict, and forest fires. More importantly, tourism impacts the region in several ways. Tourism is an important part of the Reserve for the revenue it brings directly and indirectly. Tourists from developed nations visit the place and are keen to view wildlife as closely as possible. So tourist van operators drive very close to this animals causing them great distress. And continuous driving on these lands could affect the natural vegetation of the region the animals may be dependent on. However, that's not the only way in which tourism affects the region.

Before 2004, not even 10 tourist lodges existed in and around the Reserve, because there was a ban on new construction. However, that was removed in 2004, and gradually over the last 1.5 decades, around 200 such lodges have come up. As it is fencing and agriculture had affected the movement of animals, even interfering with the migration route of a few animals. With increasing numbers of lodges, and therefore humans, the movement of wild animals could be severely hindered.

The pandemic effect

Before last March, tourism was of great concern due to the sheer number of visitors to the Reserve and how it affected the place and its inhabitants. But the pandemic brought with it a peculiar problem- the lack of tourists. As mentioned earlier, tourists bring revenue to the region directly through safari visits and indirectly by buying products - such as handmade jewellery - from the villagers around the region. Without tourists, these people's livelihoods have been greatly affected. The larger fear is that without the earlier financial stability, gradually they "may stop protecting wildlife, resort to poaching to get by, or sell land".

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Set up in 1976 as one of the earliest protected areas in Nepal, the Sagarmatha National Park (also known as Mount Everest National Park) is spread across an area of more than 1,100 sq km. Marked by majestic mountains, dramatic peaks, deep valleys, and pristine glaciers, the park is noted for its stunning natural beauty. And, one of those majestic mountains is Mount Everest, itself a major attraction of the park. The region is equally popular for its wide variety of flora and fauna. While birch, juniper, pine, fir, bamboo, and rhododendron are the flora predominantly covering the region, rare animal species such as snow leopards have made this place their home. The park was declared a UNESCO Heritage World Site in 1979 for its "Outstanding Universal Value". The sherpas-ethnic people native to the mountains of the region - have a vital role to play in the conservation of the area, by restricting hunting, etc. Equally helpful are indigenous natural resource management practices that are in place. However, degradation of the ecosystem due to firewood extraction, tourism, and development projects are causes of concern.

Wildlife

The national park is a suitable habitat for rare species such as snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan tahrs, and musk deer in addition to black bears, monkeys, hares, foxes, and martens. Over 100 species of birds are said to be found in the region, and they include the Himalayan monal, blood pheasant, laughing thrush, sunbirds, and redstarts. Apart from these, the park is said to nurture several species of butterflies and other insects too.

Threats

According to the International Union for Conservation of Natures latest assessment cycle (2020), the conservation outlook for Sagarmatha is significant concern". It says the property is suffering from a suite of long-standing and growing threats related to tourism impact (uncontrolled development, pollution, waste management, energy demand, introduction of donkeys for transport and intrusive aircrafts) deforestation, unsustainable resource extraction, poaching and disruption to Sherpa social structures. Climate change has had its impact too, for instance, glacier melting. In addition, it is likely that rivers and other water sources in the region could be contaminated by effluent discharge, human waste, and garbage dumping Further, aspects such as quarrying and forest fire risks put pressure on an already fragile ecosystem.

Two results from the pandemic...

According to a paper published in June 2021, the lockdown in Nepal between March and July 2020 due to the corona virus pandemic had both positive and negative results. In many of the country's national parks, including Sagarmatha, it meant more freedom of movement for wildlife. But that came with a price - since lockdown also meant reduced patrolling, illegal injuring or killing of wildlife due to poaching spiked. The study also discovered "incidents of hunting, trespassing, unauthorized collection of non-timber forest products (NTFP), fishing, and collection of fuelwood “inside the protected areas spiked. The study also discovered "incidents of hunting, trespassing, unauthorized collection of non-timber forest products (NTFP), fishing, and collection of fuelwood” inside the protected areas.

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Creating a transnational conservation area, the Royal Manas National Park in southwestern Bhutan abuts the Manas National Park of the neighbouring Indian State of Assam. It was accorded wildlife sanctuary status way back in 1966, making it the oldest protected area in the country. As many as 27 years later, it was declared a National Park. Covering an area of more than 1,000 sq.km., the Park had been out of bounds to public for a long while. The region is fed by the Manas river, and is indicative of Bhutan's tropical and subtropical ecosystems. The Park hosts a stunning variety of plant and animal species, and this includes several that are threatened or endangered. In addition to a few hundred bird species, it is said to support more than 900 types of plants, including many with medicinal value.

Wildlife

The animals that one can spot in the region include Royal Bengal tiger. Asian elephant, greater one-horned rhinoceros, clouded leopard, Himalayan black bear, Gangetic dolphin, pangolin, and the endangered and rare golden langur. Among the birds that roam the area are ducks, geese, shelducks, pochards, teals, partridges, tragopans, pheasants, quails, grebes, pigeons, cranes, bitterns, doves, nighjars, swifts, doves, eagles, hornbills, babblers, thrushes, cuckoos, herons, egret cormorants, thickknees, stilts, plovers, lapwings, sandpipers, gulls, terns, vultures, owls, woodpeckers, beeeaters, kingfishers, parakeets, orioles, drongos, shrikes, flowerpeckers, weavers, munias, sparrows, finches, tits, buntings, prinias, warblers, bulbuls, flycatchers, and robins.

Threats

In 2017, Bhutan became the first (and the only) carbon-negative country in the world. The carbon dioxide produced by the country is less than what the tree / forest cover there can absorb. The country has been determined to ensure that the forest cover does not drop below 60 % at any given time. While this is great news for the wildlife in the region, the country and the park in are not without concerns. For instance, human activity such as selective logging, deforestation, hunting, and tourism have been increasing challenges for the place. Being a small country, it has managed to keep several threats at bay so far. However, as a country develops, human activity could only increase, leading to alteration of places that wildlife call home. There are also concerns that species such as the threatened clouded leopard could be affected in the long run due to such activity.

Good news

News reports published in 2018 said that the number of tigers at the Park grew from just 10 in 2010 to more than double- an impressive 22-within a decade. This is attributed to the conscious effort not just at Royal Manas but also at Manas National Park in neighbouring India. In fact, both the Parks registered increase in tiger numbers, and this is attributed to transboundary conservation.

While the tiger usually gets all the attention for being a top predator, it is also important to record other species in a region. Less than a decade ago, efforts were taken up to record the different types of cats present in Royal Manas National Park. The study "recorded six species of wild felids of which five are listed on the IUCN Red List". They are tiger, golden cat, marbled cat, leopard cat, clouded leopard, and common leopard. It was conducted over an area of 74 sq.km., and the sightings of felid species confirmed the region "as a biodiversity hot spot for this group".

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The world's largest tropical wetland, the Pantanal is a natural region in South America. Lying mostly in Brazil and spilling into neighbouring Bolivia and Paraguay, this wetland covers a whopping area of more than 1,81,000 sq.km. Within this large area, several subregional ecosystems thrive, each with its own distinctive characteristics. Though the Amazon rainforest is easily synonymous with the natural landscape and wildlife of South America, surprisingly it is the Pantanal region that has the highest concentration of wildlife in this continent. Annually, the Pantanal's vast basin gets flooded after torrential rains. After these rains, the water slowly drains into the Paraguay river, creating lakes and pools. Filled as they are with fishes and snails, these waterbodies attract a large variety of birds, including storks. The hyacinth macaw, the largest species of parrot, can be seen in the area. The vegetation in the region too is just as varied with giant water lilies rubbing shoulders with cactus!

Comprising a group of four contiguous protected areas, the Pantanal Conservation Area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. As always, human activity is a grave concern in the area. These include sport fishing, the disturbance of nesting areas, and development projects such as the plan to construct navigable water courses.

Wildlife

Among the birds spotted in the region are tinamous, grebes, ducks, teals, guans, swans, pigeons, doves, cuckoos, nighthawks, nightjars, hermits, swifts, hummingbirds, crakes, rails, gallinules, stilts, lapwings, plovers. jacanas, sandpipers, godwits, snipes, terns, bitterns, storks, cormorants, herons, ibises, spoonbills, vultures, caracaras, ospreys, kites, owls, trogons, kingfishers, puffbirds, jacamars, toucans, piculets, woodpeckers, falcons, kestrels, parakeets, macaws, woodcreepers, spinetails, thornbirds, jays, martins, swallows, flycatchers, wrens, thrushes, mockingbirds, warblers, seedeaters, finches, and sparrows. The animals from the region include jaguars, green anacondas, giant armadillos, giant anteaters, otters, wild pigs, marsh deer, howler and capuchin monkeys, capybaras (world's largest rodents), in addition to caimans, alligators, and a range of amphibians, reptiles, and insects.

Threats

The Pantanal waterways are crucial for life in the region, but face several threats such as deforestation, soil erosion from expanding industrial agriculture, and infrastructure projects. It is said that because the land around the eco-rich Pantanal region is relatively inexpensive, over the years, many farmers from other parts of Brazil have begun agriculture here. This means the agrichemical runoff is high. According to WWF Brazil's report a few years ago, as many as "30% of springs that feed the Pantanal are at ecological risk and require urgent action". Much to the disappointment of activists and conservationists, a few years ago "the buffer zone necessary between farmland and river springs" was reduced, which could prove disastrous for the Pantanal in the long run. An unusual form of threat arising from agriculture is the killing of jaguars by farmers since the big cats kill their cattle. In the long run, if the jaguar disappears from the region it could throw the ecosystem into a disarray since it's at the top of the food chain. Another cause of concern is the lack of humanpower to police the region to see if there's encroachment, soil erosion, etc. In addition, the increasing use of hydroelectric dams to create energy in the region is also a major threat". In 2020, the Pantanal was exceptionally dry and burning at a record rate.

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Spanning large parts of southern Mongolia and northern China the Gobi Desert is the largest desert in Asia and the fifth largest in the world. This cold desert is in the rain shadow of the Himalayas. It covers an area of about 13.00,000 sq.km, and despite its popularity as a desert, a large expanse of the region is bare rock. The Desert is almost entirely waterless, but there are salt marshes within its confines. Since it is spread across a vast area, the place has been divided into five distinct ecoregions, including those exhibiting characteristics of semi-desert and desert steppes. The conditions are harsh, and the climate, remarkably extreme in several areas with very cold winters and very humid summers. The vegetation is sparse in the region, and is dominated by succulents, desert grass, and bushes. Despite this, the region exhibits variety in terms of birds, animals, insects and the like.

This cold desert is also of great importance to study the evolution of life on our planet, since fossils of dinosaurs and mammals dating back to millions of years have been excavated from here. As with most places across the world, the Gobi Desert has its share of concerns too, chief among them being desertification.

Wildlife

Despite the sparse vegetation, several species of birds can be spotted in the region. Among them are falcons, sandgrouses, Mongolian groundjays, wheatears, sparrows, plovers, warblers, cuckoos, owls, doves, pigeons, cranes. hoopoes, partridges, stints gulls, terns, lapwings, stilts, grebes, spoonbills, egrets ,herons, kestrels, pintails, geese, ducks, pochards, eagles, goshawks, buzzards, vultures, bustards, cormorants, stonechats, redstarts, flycatchers, tits, starlings, thrushes, buntings, wagtails, pipits, and larks. Among the animals found here are Bactrian camels, foxes, wolves, gazelles, antelopes, Mongolian wild ass, Gobi ibex bears, and rodents such as marmots and jerboas. The snow leopard is said to inhabit the Desert too and is among the chief predators. In addition to snake species such as pit vipers and many varieties of frogs, the region hosts about 30 species of lizards that thrive well in and around the desert sands.

Threats

• Desertification refers to the degradation of fertile land to dry land. Among reasons that cause this are climate change and human activity Desertification has severe ecological and environmental impact. The Gobi Desert is the fastest growing desert today. Due to this, several km of grassland has been gradually turning into wasteland with each passing day
• Overgrazing of livestock too is considered one of the reasons for the desertification of lands. Not just that it also has led to the reduction in the quality of existing desert soil, thereby depriving the soil of sources of nutrients that support life.
• In addition to these, over-cultivation badly drained irrigation systems and the mismanagement of water in the region risk to this ecosystem. When the environment is thus affected, it invariably affects the wildlife in the region too. Since the area pose a supports millions of people, long-term degeneration will have a negative impact on humans also. There have been reports of mining in the area, and it has been of grave concern.

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Situated in the northeastern part of Bolivia, the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park in South America borders Brazil. Spanning more than 15,000 sq.km., it is considered one of the largest and the most intact Parks in the Amazon basin. Within its boundaries, it holds a variety of habitats from evergreen Amazon rainforests, grasslands, and swamps to savannahs and semi-deciduous dry forests. Small wonder this region, with large swathes of untouched land, offers incredible biodiversity - think 4,000 species of plants, more than 600 species of birds, 250 fish species, and more than 300 mammal, reptile, and amphibian species together! This includes several globally threatened and endangered species too.

In 1996, the Noel Kempff Climate Action Project, a joint government and private initiative, was set up in the Park. The project ended logging rights and strives for continuous action towards forest protection, reducing emission and degradation, conservation, and sustainable development, among others. In 2005, it became the world's first "forest emissions reduction project to be verified by a third party based on international standards established by the Kyoto Protocol". In 2000, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wildlife

Fed as it is by the mighty Amazon, the Park's waterways are home to several water-dwelling creatures such as giant otters, dolphins, and caimans. Among the several mammals and marsupials in the region are opossums, tapirs, deer, marmosets, pumas, jaguars, wolves, oxes, raccoons, armadillos, giant anteaters, and monkeys. The birds in the region include tinamous, herons, cormorants, egrets, storks, ibises, ducks, vultures, kites, hawks, eagles, falcons, kestrels, crakes, lapwings, terns, sandpipers, pigeons, doves, macaws, cuckoos, owls, nightjars, swifts, quails, trogons, kingfishers, toucans, piculets, woodpeckers, woodcreepers, flycatchers, atbills, manakins, swallows, martins, thrushes, seed-eaters, honeycreepers, and more than 20 types of parrots / parakeets.

It's good, but...

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's latest report (2020), the conservation outlook for this site has been assessed as "good with some concerns. The assessment says that this comforting fact is due to how isolated the Park is. This isolation offers the place a lot of protection from livestock the transmission of diseases from livestock to wildlife, and commercial fishing And so "ecological processes, biodiversity and threatened species are in a good state of conservation Despite this aspects such as illegal logging, fishing, and hunting are of concern. Also, due to its very isolation, there is no clear data on management effectiveness in the region. It is also believed that the park rangers do not have enough means to carry out their work and carry out effective control and surveillance of the advance and incursion of settlers

Forest fires

The foremost threat to the region are forest fires. As recently as 2020, Bolivia witnessed more than 120 forest fires and a quarter of it is said to have burned in protected areas. One of the places affected was the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, at least 21,000 acres burned then. The Park encompasses three biomes Amazon rainforest, Chiquitano dry forest and Cerrado savanna. It is reported that fires were detected in the transition zone between the rainforest and savanna, moving mostly into the park's drier savanna biome" As climate change becomes more and more severe, forest fires in the region are expected to reach even greater proportions, and perhaps touch such severity this place will be unable to recover from.

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Spread across more than 720 sq km on the northwestern part of Colombia, the Los Katios National Park is contiguous to the Darien National Park in the neighbouring country of Panama. Though located in South America, the region is considered a major convergence zone of North, Central, and South America. It is because of this very reason that the Park offers a startling variety of flora and fauna. Spanning hills, tropical and humid forests, alluvial plains, swamps, and marshes, it has an unusual ecological setting that nurtures more than 600 species of vegetation, including palms and several others endemic to the region. It shows exceptional biodiversity in terms of fauna too, with many threatened species calling the place - their home.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, the Park was placed on the Danger List in 2009 due to the severe damage it suffered because of illegal poaching, fishing, and logging. However, continued patrolling and engagement with local communities in preserving the habitat paid off, and the Park was removed from the list in 2015.

Wildlife

The Park is part of one of the most species-rich lowland forest areas in the world. Small wonder it nurtures a wide range of fauna. The area is said to have more than 550 species of vertebrates, excluding fish and including more than 400 species of birds. It is believed to be the only region on the continent where many Central American species are found. This includes the threatened American crocodile, giant anteater, and Central American tapir also known as Baird's tapir. Among other species that can be spotted here are the jaguar, west Indian manatee, bush dog, deer, rodents such as coypu and wild mouse, fox, bear, monkey, and marmoset. Among the birds that can be seen here are tinamous, New World passerine birds, shrikes, quails, humming birds, warblers, doves, macaws, pittas, and puffbirds, in addition to the harpy eagle, northern screamer, and the great currasow.

Threats

The region requires close monitoring even today since concerns in the form of illegal and development activities remain. In fact, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's latest assessment (2020), the conservation outlook for this site is of "significant concern". Placing the park on danger list all those years ago did help improve the situation in the region, and some of the efforts continue to be in place. But of utmost concern is the illegal and excess use of legal natural resources. The continuous unsustainable depletion of resources could affect both flora and fauna of the place in the long run. This includes fishing and shellfish harvesting on a scale that may not be sustainable in the future. Security of the property was a concern earlier, and steps were initiated to improve that. However, despite that, illegal activities around the property and the presence of armed groups within it have been reported. Though they do not appear to pose any threat right now, it could later on, if left unchecked. Proposed developmental projects such as roads and power transmission corridors do not suggest "acute threat" yet, but "adequate environmental and social assessment are required to ensure that the natural environment of the property are not damaged in any way if and when these projects are executed.

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Spread across more than 40,000 sq km along the boundary between Alberta and the Northwest Territories in Canada, the Wood Buffalo National Park covers large swathes of forests, wetlands, and prairies. The Peace-Athabasca Delta located within the Park is one of the world's largest freshwater inland river deltas. It attracts several thousand birds, in addition to many animal species. Canada's largest national park, this UNESCO World Heritage Site nurtures the world's largest population of wood bison, numbering a few thousands. This makes the population the largest free-roaming herd left in the world. And not just that. The Park is the last remaining natural nesting site for an endangered bird species - the whooping crane. Also, two of the wetlands within the region are wetlands of International Importance under the RAMSAR convention. The Park's large size and low concentration of humans have played a role in the protection of the ecosystem to a certain level, but it is said that the lack of political will to conserve it is of grave concern.

Wildlife

Though the Park is most noted for its population of wood bison and whooping crane, it nurtures a variety of birds and animals. The region is home to more than 40 species of animals, including black bear, wolf, moose, fox, beaver, lynx, marten, and snow-shoe hare. Among the several species of birds in the area are falcons, sandhill cranes, hawks, eagles, and owls. The place also falls in the migratory route of several thousand ducks and geese.

Threats

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the 'conservation outlook for this site has been assessed as "significant concern" in the latest assessment cycle (2020). Way back in 2016, UNESCO researchers had cautioned that industrial development around the region was progressing at a great speed without its impact being studied properly. Further, upstream projects, two dams, and a relatively new hydroelectric project have together threatened to weaken water flow in the delta. In addition, "oil and gas operations in the northern reaches of Alberta continue to draw large amounts of water to sustain their operations". With mining sanctions too joining the list, the pressure of development on the water resources increased, with concerns that it could affect both wildlife and the indigenous people of the eco-sensitive region. This also means threat to the wood bison and whooping crane populations.

Following this, UNESCO gave Canada a year "to develop a solution to stem the rapid deterioration of the park", and warned hte government that 'inaction would "constitute a case for recommending inscription of Wood Buffalo national park on the List of World Heritage in Danger". After this Canada was given a December 1, 2020 deadline for submitting "a progress report on conservation efforts" in the region, which the country missed. It sought an extension and submitted the report by 21 the same month, addressing "specific UNESCO concerns and 14 pages outline whether each of the 142 items in the action plan are completed, underway, not started or not due yet". Meanwhile, earlier this year reports said "Canada has pledged an extra $59.9 million" to save the place, though many conservationists and indigenous people are concerned and sceptical of the promise due to what they see as the government's lack of commitment to the cause.

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