A new analysis by UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature shows the world's most important cultural and historical landmarks are inhabited by one-fifth of all known species on the planet.
The 1,157 protected sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List account for less than 1% of Earth's surface but play vital roles as biodiversity hotspots, the Paris-based U.N. agency said on Thursday.
Together the sites harbor more than 20% of mapped global species, UNESCO said in appealing for more financial aid to improve conservation at the sites from among the 195 nations that are parties to the 1975 World Heritage Convention.
"This study demonstrates the importance of UNESCO World Heritage sites in protecting biodiversity," said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.
"These 1,157 sites are not only historically and culturally outstanding," she said, "they are also critical to the preservation of the diversity of life on Earth, maintaining essential ecosystem services, and addressing climate disruption."
The sites contain more than 75,000 species of plants, including trees, and over 30,000 species of mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles and amphibians, according to the study.
That includes at least 20,000 threatened species ranging from one-third of all elephants, tigers and pandas to at least one-tenth of great apes, lions and rhinos.
The Gland, Switzerland-based IUCN, which acts as an official adviser on nature protections for the sites, says the World Heritage Convention is a critical preservation tool for the world’s most significant ecosystems.
"It needs to be more widely recognized and supported, as nature preservation is key to realizing global biodiversity and climate goals,” said IUCN's Head of Heritage and Culture Tim Badman.
