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Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

India
Factors affecting the property in 2010*
  • Civil unrest
  • Illegal activities
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

a) Insurgency 1988-2003;

b) Forced evacuation of Park staff;

c) Destruction of Park infrastructure;

d) Poaching and logging;

e) Illegal cultivation.

Threats for which the property was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger
  • Insurgency resulting in destruction of Park infrastructure;
  • Depletion of forest habitat and wildlife populations.
Corrective Measures for the property

A series of corrective measures was adopted by the Committee at its 29th session (Durban, 2005). Following the 2008 joint World Heritage Centre / IUCN monitoring mission, the World Heritage Committee at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008) updated the corrective measures as follows:

a) Urgently conduct a baseline survey on recovery of wildlife populations and set up a full monitoring system which will allow monitoring and documenting the recovery of flagship species;

b) Resolve the problem of fund release which did not progress significantly since the last mission;

c) Complete the work for the reconstruction and improvement of park infrastructure;

d) Fill the remaining vacant positions in the park by recruiting the best elements of the volunteers, and/or others, into permanent positions;

e) Strengthen and consolidate park management operations, in particular the efforts for reducing illegal logging and wildlife poaching in the Panbari Range;

f) Continue efforts for the reintroduction of the one-horned rhino and assess the need and feasibility for a restoration programme of the swamp deer.

UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds until 2010

Total amount provided to the property: As of 2008, the property is benefiting from the UNF funded World Heritage India programme. Project interventions include: enhancing management effectiveness and building staff capacity; increasing the involvement of local communities in the management of the property and promoting their sustainable development; and raising awareness through communication and advocacy. 

International Assistance: requests for the property until 2010
Requests approved: 2 (from 1997-1997)
Total amount approved : 165,000 USD
Missions to the property until 2010**

1992: IUCN mission; 1997: UNESCO mission; February 2002: IUCN monitoring mission; April 2005: UNESCO/ IUCN monitoring mission; February 2008: World Heritage Centre / IUCN monitoring mission 

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2010

At the time of preparation of this report, the State Party had not submitted a state of conservation report, which was requested by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session (Seville, Spain). Therefore, progress on the implementation of the corrective measures is difficult to assess. However, IUCN has received reports and data from its network of scientists and members on certain aspects of the state of conservation of the property.

With respect to wildlife monitoring and the establishment of an effective monitoring system (corrective measure a), IUCN has received reports that the park authority, in collaboration with conservation NGOs, has recently developed wildlife monitoring forms to serve as the basis for a monitoring database. A number of conservation NGOs, including ATREE (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment), Aaranyak, and WWF-India, among others, will soon begin surveying the property’s tiger population, and are currently monitoring populations of swamp deer, hispid hare, Bengal florican, Pygmy hog and the relocated one-horned rhinoceros.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN welcome the reports received by IUCN on efforts to monitor wildlife population, since these will be essential to demonstrate a clear upward trend in wildlife populations to allow a future decision on a removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger. They note that information on the results from these monitoring activities and on the implementation of the 5 other corrective measures was not provided by the State Party.

IUCN also received reports that invasive species are increasingly a major threat to the property’s habitats. The World Heritage Centre and IUCN recall the recommendation of the 2008 reactive monitoring mission to assess the status of invasive species within the property, and to develop and implement effective control measures.

IUCN has received reports that several local ecotourism groups within the property have begun building roads and other infrastructure without informing the park authorities. The World Heritage Centre and IUCN recommend that the State Party monitor the activities of these groups, ensure they are undertaken in close collaboration with the park authorities, and increase control of vehicle movement. They recall the recommendation of the 2008 reactive monitoring mission to build a regional vision on tourism taking into account the limited carrying capacity of the property ensuring that any tourism developments are consistent with the values of the property.

IUCN has also received reports that a paramilitary group on the Indo-Bhutan border, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), is attempting to set up base camps within the property. The World Heritage Centre and IUCN recall that instability and the presence of groups of insurgents in the past had been at the origin of increased poaching which led to the declines in wildlife populations and the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in danger and recommend that the State Party continue its reported efforts to ban these camps.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN consider that without a report by the State Party on the implementation of the corrective measures and on the status of wildlife populations, it is impossible to evaluate the progress made towards a removal from the List of World Heritage in danger. They reiterate that a clear upward trend in the populations of key wildlife species needs to be demonstrated in order to consider this removal, as decided by the Committee at previous sessions. In light of the above, the World Heritage Centre and IUCN consider that the property should be retained on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Noting as well that a management plan for the property has not been finalized and approved, they encourage the State Party to continue its efforts in implementing the corrective measures, finalizing the draft management plan, and developing an effective monitoring system and database. 

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2010
34 COM 7A.12
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India) (N 338)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/7A.Add,

2. Recalling Decision 33 COM 7A.12, adopted at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009),

3. Welcomes the State Party's report which mentions important progress in the implementation of the corrective measures and also provides some data on wildlife populations but not on population trends as requested by the Committee and regrets that the very late submission of the state of conservation report did not allow a proper assessment of the data by IUCN;

4. Reiterates its position that a clear upward trend in the populations of key wildlife species needs to be demonstrated in order to enable removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;

5. Requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre as soon as possible with clear data on the trends of wildlife populations since the time of inscription, including details on the available monitoring data on which these trends are based;

6. Requests the State Party to invite a joint UNESCO/IUCN reactive monitoring mission to the property, once the data on wildlife populations are provided, to evaluate the state of conservation of the property and in particular review the available data on trends in wildlife populations to assess their recovery and to advise on the consideration of the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger at its 35th session in 2010;

7. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2011, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the properly and on the implementation of the corrective measures, as well as on the progress made in the finalization and approval of the management plan for the property, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session in 2011, with a view to considering the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;

8. Decides to retain the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India) on the World Heritage List in Danger.

34 COM 8C.2
Establishment of the World Heritage List in Danger (Retained Properties)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Following the examination of the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger (WHC-10/34.COM/7A, WHC-10/34.COM/7A.Add and WHC-10/34.COM/7A.Add.2),

2. Decides to retain the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:

  • Afghanistan, Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Decision 34 COM 7A.22)
  • Afghanistan, Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley (Decision 34 COM 7A.23)
  • Belize, Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (Decision 34 COM 7A.13)
  • Central African Republic, Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Decision 34 COM 7A.1)
  • Chile, Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (Decision 34 COM 7A.29)
  • Colombia, Los Katios National Park (Decision 34 COM 7A.14)
  • Côte d'Ivoire, Comoé National Park (Decision 34 COM 7A.2)
  • Côte d'Ivoire / Guinea, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Decision 34 COM 7A.3)
  • Democratic Rep. of the Congo Virunga National Park (Decision 34 COM 7A.4)
  • Democratic Rep. of the Congo Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Decision 34 COM 7A.5)
  • Democratic Rep. of the Congo Garamba National Park (Decision 34 COM 7A.6)
  • Democratic Rep. of the Congo Salonga National Park (Decision 34 COM 7A.7)
  • Democratic Rep. of the Congo, Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Decision 34 COM 7A.8)
  • Egypt, Abu Mena (Decision 34 COM 7A.17)
  • Ethiopia, Simien National Park (Decision 34 COM 7A.9)
  • Georgia, Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (Decision 34 COM 7A.27)
  • India, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Decision 34 COM 7A.12)
  • Iraq, Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Decision 34 COM 7A.18)
  • Iraq, Samarra Archaeological City (Decision 34 COM 7A.19)
  • Islamic Republic of Iran, Bam and its Cultural Landscape (Decision 34 COM 7A.24)
  • Jerusalem, Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (Decision 34 COM 7A.20)
  • Niger, Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Decision 34 COM 7A.10)
  • Pakistan, Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (Decision 34 COM 7A.25)
  • Peru, Chan Chan Archaelogical Zone (Decision 34 COM 7A.30)
  • Philippines, Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (Decision 34 COM 7A.26)
  • Senegal, Niokolo Koba National Park (Decision 34 COM 7A.11)
  • Serbia, Medieval Monuments in Kosovo (Decision 34 COM 7A.28)
  • United Republic of Tanzania, Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (Decision 34 COM 7A.16)
  • Venezuela, Coro and its Port (Decision 34 COM 7A.31)
  • Yemen, Historic Town of Zabid (Decision 34 COM 7A.21)
Draft Decision: 34 COM 7A.12

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/7A.Add,

2. Recalling Decision 33 COM 7A.12, adopted at its 33rd session (Sevilla, 2009),

3. Regrets that the State Party did not submit a state of conservation report as requested by Decision 33 COM 7A.12 on the implementation of the corrective measures and on the status of wildlife populations, thus making it impossible to evaluate the progress made towards a possible removal from the List of World Heritage in danger;

4. Reiterates its position that a clear upward trend in the populations of key wildlife species needs to be demonstrated in order to enable removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;

5. Urges the State Party to continue the implementation of the corrective measures adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 32nd session, as well as the other recommendations of the 2008 World Heritage Centre / IUCN monitoring mission;

6. Reiterates its request to the State Party to develop, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value and proposal for the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session in 2011;

7. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2011, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the properly and on the implementation of the corrective measures, as well as on the progress made in the finalization and approval of the management plan for the property, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session in 2011;

8. Decides to retain the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary on the World Heritage List in Danger .

Report year: 2010
India
Date of Inscription: 1985
Category: Natural
Criteria: (vii)(ix)(x)
Danger List (dates): 1992-2011
Documents examined by the Committee
arrow_circle_right 34COM (2010)
Exports

* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.