Indian wildlife sanctuary lifted from UNESCO’s list of endangered heritage

Citing “significant improvements in preservation,” the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) said today that it has withdrawn India's Manas Wildlife Sanctuary from its List of World Heritage in Danger.

Situated on the foothills of the Himalayas, the Manas sanctuary, home to a great variety of wildlife, including many endangered species, such as the tiger, pygmy hog, Indian rhinoceros and Indian elephant, was inscribed on the List in Danger in 1992, seven years after it had entered UNESCO's World Heritage List.

The World Heritage Committee “noted that the outstanding universal value for which the property was inscribed on the World Heritage list was recovering from damages sustained during ethnic unrest in the site,” UNESCO said.

UNESCO said the site is noted for its spectacular scenery, with a variety of habitat types that support a diverse fauna, making it the richest of all Indian wildlife areas. The park represents the core of an extensive tiger reserve that protects an important migratory wildlife resource along the borders of Bhutan and the Indian states of West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh. Its wetlands are considered to be of international importance.