Mother Nature has bestowed our planet with many wonders. There are so many beautiful things to see and experience that one often wonders how one planet can hold so many wonderful sights. But unfortunately, not all of these sights will last forever. There are many places on Earth which you might not be able to enjoy as they will cease to exist much sooner than you think. Lets take a look at some of them.
The Great Barrier Reef.
This great barier reef is one of the most amazing sights in the world with the turquoise blue water holding over 1500 varieties of fish! It also covers an astonishing 1680 miles. But sadly, the reef is dying. It has been estimated that over half of it has already disappeared in the last 27 years and that it will be damaged irreversibly by the year 2030.Easter Island.
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Situated in Chile, the Easter islands are home to some of the best statues. In fact, 887 statues carved by the Rapa Nui people adorn the island. That has obviously led to a lot of tourists coming in and that has ironically had an adverse effect. The influx of tourists have led to a disturbance in the ecology and the garbage left behind by them does not help either. The statues are being damaged because of that and even the indigenous people of the island are under threat.Madagascar.
Madagascar is a home to many primordial plant and animal species . The rainforests of Madagascar are full of life and a treat for everyone who decides to visit. But unfortunately, these magnificent forests are in real danger of disappearing, and sooner than you expected. Multiple forest fires along with massive deforestation have taken a huge toll on the rainforest and it is predicted that they will be around for only about 30 more years!Majuli Island, India.
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The Majuli island lies on the river Brahmaputra. It is the largest river island in the world. In fact, it is the only island which has been recognized as a district by the government of India. But if you want to enjoy the sights and scenes of the Majuli island, you better hurry. Major flooding and soil erosion have led to the island being submerged under water. The rising water levels in the island are threatening to make it a part of history very soon!Maldives.
Maldives has some of the best beaches in the world along with mind-catching water. The shoreline surrounded by pristine blue water on one side and green trees on the other is simply one of nature’s best works. And yet, there is a very real threat that no one would be able to visit Maldives anymore. The rising water levels due to global warming will affect everyone on Earth but Maldives will be its first victim as it is the lowest lying country in the world. So much so that the government has started buying land elsewhere to rehabilitate its citizens.Glacier National Park.
It is located in the state of Montana, which is almost near to the US Canada border. The park is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna and 2 mountain ranges. But the crowning glory of the park were the 150 glaciers which were there. But due to the changes in climate, the glaciers started melting and today, only 25 active glaciers remain in the park. And scientists assume that if the weather pattern does not change soon, there will be no glaciers left in the Glacier national park.The Great Wall of China.
The Great Wall of China is undoubtedly a marvelous construction and is the only thing on Earth that can be seen from outer space. It simply leaves you in awe every time you look at it. And while the wall has been well preserved for over 2000 years, it does not have a bright future ahead. Over farming and air pollution in the area have led to the deterioration of the wall and it is estimated that by 2035, the Great Wall of China will be just ruins.Mount Kilimanjaro.
With its snowy peaks, it gives us a mesmerizing feel to our eyes. Scaling it gives one a breath taking view of vast ice fields and enchanting glaciers. And if this is something on your bucket list, better do it soon, because the snow might well be gone soon. Due to global warming, the glaciers on the mountain are melting and the snow cover is disappearing. In fact, it has reduced over 85% in the last century! And in the next 20, it might not be there at all!Venice.
Venice is one of the extraordinary cities in Europe! The gondola rides are something which can truly be called magical which is probably why it is the city for romance. And it is truly a travesty that the city of Venice is submerging. The beautiful canals are sinking and poets and lovers all over the world should visit it while they can because it is estimated that in 20 years no one would be able to enjoy its beauty.The Dead Sea.
One of the best things to experience is a jump into the dead sea where everybody floats! But unfortunately, it draws water only from the River Jordan and since countries around it are continuously drawing water from the river, the dead sea faces extinction. It has already sunk over 80 feet and shrunk by about 33% in the last 40 years. And if these trends do not stop, the sea might very well be gone from the face of the Earth in 50 years.North Africa.
There are many amazing things to witness in Africa. It is definitely a thrilling experience to explore Africa. And yet, it might not last for all that long. The Sahara desert is growing at a really scary pace of 0.8 kilometres per year. And if that trend is not resolved soon, the entire North Africa may become a desert. According to studies by scientists, that might just happen in the next 35 years!The Seychelles.
If beaches are your thing, then Seychelles should be inevitable on your list of places to visit. And if it is, you might want to go there as soon as possible because it is actually disappearing. The beach erosion is taking an adverse effect and it is predicted that it might disappear completely in the net 50 to 100 years!The Sunderbans.
The Sunderbans is located in India. It is a blend of water and land, which is expanded upto 4000 miles. It is an absolutely breath taking place with many species of plants and animals found there. They are also home to the largest mangrove forests on Earth. Unfortunately though, deforestation, pollution and a strong dependence on fossil fuels is raising the water levels at an alarming rate which has caused severe erosion. As such, the entire area is under threat and it might disappear altogether!Azure Window.
Watching the waters around Malta is an amazing experience. But there is an unique sight on Gozo, the second largest island on Malta. A natural limestone arch has formed there which has turned into a massive tourist attraction. However, the arch is disintegrating and geologists have predicted that it will last for only a few years more at max. So hurry up and get there if you want to see it!Aral Sea.
The Aral sea is located between Kazakastan and Uzbekistan, it was once the fourth largest lake in the world. But due to Soviet irrigation projects, the rivers feeding it have been diverted. So much so that what was once a large expanse of water has shrunk down to nearly 10% of its original size and that too is divided over several smaller lake. The great view that the Aral sea was no longer exists today.Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal is undoubtedly an amazing example of man creating art. The white marble building is a testament to love but it might not stand the test of time. A number of factors like population, air pollution, acid rain have led to the disintegration of the construction material. A major crack was observed in the monument in 2010 and thankfully restoration attempts have started. But they might not be enough!Franz Josef Glacier.
New Zealand is a wonderful country and it attracts a lot of visitors every year. And for most of them, one of the must visit places is the Franz Josef glacier, a magnificent natural wonder which was growing every year till about 2008. Since then, it has started reducing at an alarming rate and scientist fear that it will disappear completely within a 100 years.The Twelve Apostles.
In Victoria, Australia there is an assemblage of 12 limestone stacks and it were later called as the 12 apostles. Unfortunately, wave erosion has been eroding these stacks and have led to 4 of them collapsing already. With global warming causing the water levels to rise, the erosion will probably only increase and very soon, there will no longer be any of the apostles left!Nauru.
Nauru is considered as the second smallest country in the world and is located in the south western pacific ocean. The rising water levels are a grave threat to Nauru whose tallest point stands at just 71 metres and it is at serious risk of being washed away completely if the rising water level is not kept in check.Congo Basin.
This is one of the strangest of things you could imagine. The Congo basin is occupied by 3.7 million square kilometers and is home to some of the Earth’s biggest tropical rainforests. These forests produce around 40% of the oxygen in the world. But 10 million acres of the forest have already disappeared because of mining, agriculture and wars! Estimates say that 2/3rd of forests will disappear by 2040. All because of man made reasons. If this trend is not stopped, forget about travelling anywhere except to maybe a store to buy whatever oxygen you can!!!!