Galapagos Islands Removed From World Heritage List

Galapagos Islands Removed From UN List Of World Heritage Sites In Danger

New York, Jul 29 2010 10:10AM

Ecuador’s headway in combating threats posed by invasive species, unbridled tourism and over-fishing has allowed the Galapagos Islands to be removed from the list of World Heritage sites considered to be in danger by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/">UNESCO).

The <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1">Galapagos, comprising 19 islands and a marine reserve, are situated some 1,000 kilometres from the South American continent. Deemed a World Heritage site in 1978, they have been described as a unique “living museum and showcase of evolution.”

They were put on the list of sites in danger in 2007, and the <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/comittee/">World Heritage Committee, currently meeting in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, welcomed the Ecuadorian Government’s ongoing efforts to bolster conservation measures, especially in dealing with non-native species arriving in the area through human activity.

Added to the <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/158/">List of World Heritage in Danger by the 21-member Committee today was the <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1022">Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi in the Ugandan capital, Kampala. It contains four royal tombs within the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga main building, which was nearly completely destroyed in a fire in March.

Considered an outstanding example of an architectural style developed by the Buganda Kingdom since the 13th century, the building will be reconstructed.

ENDS