IUCN Outlook 4: Western Ghats, Manas, Sundarbans at Risk
Why in the news
The IUCN’s latest outlook, issued every 3–4 years, placed three Indian natural sites in its second-worst grade because of ecological pressure. It covered 63 Asian sites.
Key facts
- Grades: Good, Good with Some Concerns, Significant Concern, Critical.
- Threat order: climate change, then tourism and invasive species.
- Infrastructure: roads and railways fragment habitats and kill wildlife.
- Khangchendzonga National Park is rated Good.
| Site | State | Pressures |
|---|---|---|
| Western Ghats | Five states from Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu | 5% evergreen forest loss, urbanisation, tourism |
| Manas | Assam (with Bhutan) | Poaching, floods, invasive species |
| Sundarbans | West Bengal (with Bangladesh) | Sea-level rise, erosion, tourism |
Exam angle
- Publisher: IUCN.
- Transboundary sites: Manas and Sundarbans.