the Travel Enthusiast
- 24 Oct
kachou_n in Amazing Places | NO COMMENTSNatural attractions to see before they disappear
Madagascar, photo by Ino Paap
Our planet is unfortunately not unchanging, and much of its natural wonders are more short-lived than we can imagine. This means that the places we still have the opportunity to visit might be gone by the time the next century’s generations of travelers hit the road.
Excessive tourism also has a part to play in the future disappearance of these natural spaces and phenomena, but this can be avoided if you travel responsibly. There’s a long list of natural attractions to see before they disappear, and with some foresight and eco-friendly tricks, you can even help them last longer.
The Great Migration, Tanzania
Great Migration, photo by Marc Veraart
The Great Migration is one of the most astounding phenomena in the world, and one that is set to disappear because of Tanzania’s diminishing wildlife. The migration is a gigantic, fast-paced convoy of over a million wildebeest, half a million gazelles and a a couple of hundred thousands of zebras, which migrate for 500 kilometers in search of food.
If you want to see it happening, opt for an eco-lodge or eco-tourism packages that help protect the wildlife and encourage the sustainable development of local communities.
The Great Barrier Reef
The hundreds of islands and thousands of reefs that make up this living marvel are threatened by pollution, rising sea levels and human intervention. Scuba diving and snorkeling anywhere in the Great Barrier Reef is an incredibly exciting experience but it can be taxing on the ecosystem. When you book a trip, make sure that the operator meets the environmental requirements.
The Amazon Rainforest
Amazon Rainforest, photo by Ivan Mlinaric
The largest rainforest in the world (encompassing half the planet’s rainforests) and one of the richest natural environments anywhere is constantly under threat due to deforestation, which means that by 2030 half the forest might be gone.
There are countless eco-lodges that try to show the beauty of the Amazon to travelers without making the problem worse, so you can still see this complex natural wonder without hurting it.
Madagascar
About 80% of the plant and animal species of Madagascar are endemic to the island, so they can’t be found naturally anywhere else on the planet. More than that, there are still many species that haven’t even been recorded, but given the huge amounts of logging and poaching, they might never even be recorded. It’s possible to see the island responsibly, without contributing to the destruction of habitats through various eco-tours for a day or weeks at a time.
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travel search by Travelgrove (get this widget)The Congo Basin
photo by Chris Willis on Fotopedia
The rainforests of the Congo Basin produce 40% of the planet’s oxygen, plus countless medicinal and mineral treasures. There are countless unique species living in the forest, but according to the UN two-third of them might be gone by 2040 at the current rate of logging, illegal hunting and farming. It’s possible to see the forest with the help of local guides working with the Wildlife Conservation Fund.
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