See these Ecotourism Places Before They Vanish
View PDF | Print View
by: KristenNipper | Total views: 17 | Word Count: 310
There has never been a better time to go on that ecotourism adventure you've always wanted. Several of the planet's most amazing places are in serious trouble because of global climate change. Look into some of these unique places, all of which may disappear if climate trends don't change soon.
Congo Basin, Democratic Republic of Congo- Mountain Gorillas and Forest Elephants are two species most in danger of extinction and they both live in the Congo Basin. In addition, the Congo Basin makes up a fourth of the world's tropical forests. If deforestation in the area continues at its current pace, half of the rainforest will disappear in the next five decades.
Kauai, Hawaii- Kauai's island cloud-forest ecosystem supports rare species like the Honeycreeper. This frail eco-system on Hawaii's fourth largest island is threatened by warmer temperatures caused by climate change.
Mergui Islands, Myanmar- The isolated Mergui Islands located in the Indian Ocean, is the birthplace of many species and an ancient group of people referred to as sea gypsies. The Moken are primarily fishermen who spend most of their lives in and around the islands' coral reef system. Scientists fear that as much as thirty percent of Asia's coral reefs may be lost in the next 30 years because of changes to the climate.
Mississippi River Delta, United States- The estuary of the Mississippi River Delta is an essential habitat for many species of birds, aquatic wildlife, and their offspring. Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina caused havoc on the barrier islands, which provides protection for the delta. Scientists anticipate that violent storms will happen more often as climate change accelerates.
Kitzbuhel, The Alps, Austria- A ski-enthusiast's dream and one of the planet's most famous winter wonderlands, Kitzbuchel is seeing the possibility of more avalanches and falling rocks with warming global temperatures. Snow could diminish by eighty percent if the average global temperature warms just three degrees.
About the Author
By Kristen Nipper for Green Global Travel, a web-zine devoted to ecotourism, green tips, eco-friendly activities, and conservation. For a brief time, get a free Galapagos Islands wildlife calendar by going to Green Global Travel.
Rating: Not yet rated
Login to vote
