15 endangered places to visit before they disappear
The words ‘climate change’ have saturated news stories and outlets for the better part of the last 20 years, and whether or not you believe in the cause and effect, there is no denying that our planet is changing. Higher tides are washing away beautiful stretches of land, pollution is cluttering landmarks and waterways, and icecaps are melting at rates never seen before. In fact, many celebrated natural wonders are slowly succumbing to the sombre effects of human life and development—blink, and they could very well be gone tomorrow.
Below, we round up 15 endangered destinations that should be added to the top of your travel list, because at this rate of change, they may not be around in the next 20 years or so.
1. Taj Mahal, India
Traffic and industrial pollution have left India’s most famous monument under threat. Sometimes the smog and air pollution is so dense that the building can’t be seen from the tourist fort.
2. The Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
There is truly nothing on earth quite like the great and mysterious pyramids in Egypt. They too have fallen subject to the effects of erosion over time.
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3. Venice, Italy
Now known as ‘the sinking city’, the sea levels around Venice are dramatically rising, and as a result the city floods on average 100 times a year.
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4. Kasbah Telouet, Morocco
This popular tourist destination in Morocco is collapsing due to the effects of erosion in the Atlas Mountains.
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5. Petra, Jordan
Famous for being the ‘rose city’ that was carved almost entirely out of rock, Petra is under threat due to various types of erosion and saltwater damage.
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6. Big Sur, California
Despite being one of California’s most scenic drives, the presence of extreme natural disasters such as droughts, landslides and forest fires, leaves Big Sur continually under threat.
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7. Maldives
At first glance, you would never assume this tropical paradise is under threat, but the islands in the Maldives sit disconcertingly close to sea level, and with the growing risk of rising sea levels, could very well sink into the Indian Ocean.
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8. Patagonian Ice Fields, Chile
Running along the border between Chile and Argentina, the Ice Fields of Patagonia are the second largest in the world. Research conducted at Cornell University dictates that the fields of ice are diminishing at a pace one-and-a-half times faster than recorded in previous studies.
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9. The Great Wall of China
Built to protect China from enemy invasion, unfortunately the Great Wall of China cannot protect itself from the effects of excess tourism and overpopulation.
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10. Great Barrier Reef, Australia
What was once one of the most species-dense habitats in the world, the Great Barrier Reef has been slowly deteriorating as a result of warmer waters, coral bleaching and overfishing.
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11. Grand Canyon, Arizona
The rocky gorge in Arizona has been named one of the 11 most endangered historic sites in the US – thanks to threats like heavy tourism and repeated attempts to mine it for uranium.
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12. Glacier National Park, Montana
What once housed approximately 150 glaciers now hosts only 25 as a result of prolonged climate change.
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13. Galapagos Islands
Threats of invasive species, overfishing and deregulated tourism saw the Galapagos Islands placed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger in 2007. Although it has since been removed from the list, there is still an immediate threat to natural wildlife from poachers.
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14. Etosha National Park, Namibia
Home to the endangered black rhinoceros, climate change is an overarching threat to biodiversity within Etosha National Park, and also wider Africa.
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15. The Dead Sea, Jerusalem
Situated at one of the lowest points on earth (over 420m below sea level), due to alleged climate change, The Dead Sea is shrinking at an alarming rate.
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