8 new natural wonders named.
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Eight new natural wonders the world were added to UNESCO World Heritage sites as reported in National Geographic. There were also 8 countries named with the natural wonders. Without much further ado, the new additions…
1. Joggins Fossil Cliffs in Canada.
Described in the book, The Fossil Cliffs of Joggins
2. Mount Sanqingshan National Park in China.
Mount Sangingshan (Shan means mountain) is a renowned Taoist mountain that harbors about 1,000 species of plants and 800 species of animal life.
3. Lagoons of New Caledonia, a French territory.
The lagoons were formed by the New Caledonian barrier reef. The reef has great species diversity with a high level of endemism, and is home to the endangered dugong or sea cow (Dugong dugon) and an important nesting site for the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas).
Photo by National Geographic.
4. The island of Surtsey in Iceland.
Surtsey was a volcanic island that was formed by an underwater volcanic eruption in 1963. It is of great interest to botanist and biologists as life gradually colonized the island.
Photo by National Geographic.
5. Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan)
Saryarka is a vast preserve in the steppes of Kazakhstan. Its wetlands provide a stop-over for migratory birds from South Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Photo by National Geographic.
6. Monarch Butterfly biosphere Reserve (Mexico)
The densely forested biosphere reserve in Mexico serves as the wintering grounds of Monarch butterflies from North America. The area is located approximately 60 miles from Mexico City.
Photo by National Geographic.
7. Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona (Switzerland)
A ruggedly beautiful mountain range of solid rock in Switzerland.
Photo by National Geographic.
8. Socotra Archipelago (Yemen)
Four islands and 2 islets shelters 825 plant species. Approximately 90% of its reptile and snail species cannot be found outside the archipelago. The picture below are of Dragon’s blood trees.
Photo by National Geographic.
Other posts you’ll want to read:
- Tubbataha: a nominee in the new 7 wonders of the world.
- Jaw-dropping giant freshwater fish: Arapaima.
- Jaw-dropping giant freshwater fish: Mekong Giant Catfish.
- Jaw-dropping giant freshwater fish: Siamese Giant Carp.
- Biodiversity hotspots: Part 1
October 27th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Fascinating photos! I have never seen such an interesting tree as the last picture. We are always looking for awesome nature photos. I love Fingals Cave in scotland. Remarkable rock formations.
Electric Guitars last blog post..Blues Scales Guitar Exercise
October 28th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Yes, I thought they were 3d digital landscape at first. They’re dragon’s blood trees. Interesting plants.
October 28th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Beautiful pictures, looks so inviting, lol! Thank you for sharing.
October 28th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Wow. Those are some amazing pictures and I can see why they are the 8 new natural wonders of the world. I;ve never seen dragon’s blood trees before and I would love to know more about the Island of Surtsey. What an opportunity to see life colonize itself on a new island!
Prestons last blog post..A Tag and an Award
October 29th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Wow! Interesting places and beautiful photos! Hope to visit some of those places.
foongpcs last blog post..My Very First Laptop
October 31st, 2008 at 1:32 pm
It’s great to know more place are added to UNESCO World Heritage sites.Because that means better protect!
iWalks last blog post..Dachshund Leo and Rescue Dog Barry
November 1st, 2008 at 8:58 am
@ Jodi
Thanks for dropping by too.
@ Preston
Yes, those trees indeed look different and Surtsey’s a real-life laboratory.
@ FoongPC
Us too but it’s actually kind of ironic. Those places are so beautiful because they’ve been largely protected from human activities. Now that they are famous, a lot of people will want to visit them. We hope the authorities can strike a balance between ecotourism and need to protect those sites.
@ iWalk
We do hope that the exposure will make more people want to protect these kind of sites.
November 9th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Bizarre trees in Yemen. Great island photos especially of the volcanic Surtsey. As another commentator said, it is great to see UNESCO protection being continually added to, yet its integrity seems to be being maintained by only adding significant sites.
Mark Hs last blog post..Visiting the Smallest Town in the World (Hum, Croatia)
November 10th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Hi!
Yemen isn’t exactly a land of peace and it’s the environment and people who suffer during conflicts. We hope that UNESCO’s list will emphasize the fact that paradise can be found in these countries and we are in danger of losing it.
Thanks.