Best Protected Area

Moremi Game Reserve protects part of the eastern Okavango Delta in Botswana, bringing permanent wetlands, seasonal floodplains and dry ground within one protected area. Established in 1963 through the initiative of local Batawana people, its history reflects community action to protect wildlife. The...

Woodland, open heath and pasture give the New Forest its varied character in southern England, primarily within Hampshire. William the Conqueror established it as a royal hunting forest in 1079, using forest in its historical sense of land governed by special hunting law. The area was therefore neve...

Established in 1937 in southeastern Georgia, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge protects most of the Okefenokee Swamp. Its roughly 402,000 acres encompass peatlands, forested wetlands, lakes, and open wetland prairies. Dark, tannin-stained water and peat-forming vegetation help distinguish this env...

On Anglesey in Wales, Newborough Warren and Ynys Llanddwyn form a coastal National Nature Reserve centered on dunes and their associated habitats. The Warren is a substantial sand dune system, with wetter dune hollows adding to its ecological variety. Grazing helps maintain parts of the open habitat...

Protected as a national monument in 2001, Carrizo Plain preserves a grassland basin west of California's San Joaquin Valley. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, it contains the state's largest remaining contiguous native grassland. Soda Lake and seasonal wetlands add contrasting habitats, whil...

Covering approximately 68,000 square kilometers in southeastern Alaska, Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the United States. Established in the early twentieth century, it contains a substantial share of the world's remaining intact temperate rainforest. Dense old-growth stan...

Established by Congress in 1908, the former National Bison Range occupies roughly 18,800 acres within the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana. Its bison herd lives among native bunchgrass prairie and wooded areas, with habitat also supporting elk, deer and grassland birds. The settin...

Established in 1973, Chitwan National Park is Nepal's first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the subtropical lowlands of the Terai region. The 932-square-kilometer protected area is particularly renowned for its population of greater one-horned rhinoceros and Bengal tigers,...

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park is a protected area in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, proclaimed in 1895 and among the oldest nature reserves on the African continent. Covering approximately 960 square kilometers of hilly terrain, the park is managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and contains savanna, wood...

Across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, the Western Tien-Shan World Heritage property protects selected parts of a mountain region with varied ecosystems. Its significance extends beyond high peaks: forests, mountain grasslands and other habitats support a rich variety of plants and animals. U...

Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is a protected area situated in the state of Goiás, within the central highlands of Brazil. Established in 1961, the park encompasses a diverse landscape of cerrado savanna, deep canyons, and numerous waterfalls along its river systems. It is recognized by UNESCO...

Samburu National Reserve is a protected wildlife area in northern Kenya, established in 1948. Located along the Ewaso Ng'iro river, the reserve covers approximately 165 square kilometers of semi-arid savanna and acacia woodland. The reserve is known for hosting species adapted to dry environments, i...

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is an extensive protected area located in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. Established in 1961, it covers approximately 52,800 square kilometers, making it one of the largest game reserves in the world. The reserve encompasses a vast sand basin characterized by flat...

Along Queensland's coast, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protects much of the world's largest coral reef system, which stretches for more than 2,300 kilometers. Reefs and associated habitats support thousands of marine species, including fish and turtles. The park encompasses a broad marine area...

Liuwa Plain National Park is a protected area situated in the Upper Zambezi flood plains of western Zambia. Established as a national park in 1972, it encompasses a vast grassland ecosystem that hosts Africa's second-largest annual blue wildebeest migration. The park is co-managed by the Zambian Dep...

Bardia National Park is a major protected wilderness area located in the Terai lowlands of western Nepal. Established in 1988, it spans approximately 968 square kilometers and comprises dense forests, grasslands, and riverine ecosystems. The park serves as a critical habitat for several endangered m...

The Punkaharju Esker is a remarkable geological formation located in South Savo, Finland. It’s a seven-kilometer glacial ridge created by meltwater flowing over bedrock during the last ice age. This unique landscape, situated within a protected area along Lake Saimaa, attracts nature enthusiasts and...

Proclaimed in 1975, Gonarezhou National Park is a vast protected area located in the southeastern lowveld of Zimbabwe. As the country's second-largest national park, it forms a crucial component of the transboundary Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, connecting conservation areas in neighboring South...

Pilanesberg National Park is a major wildlife reserve located in the North West Province of South Africa, situated entirely within an ancient, eroded volcanic crater. Established in 1979, the park was populated through "Operation Genesis," which was one of the largest game translocation programs of...

Emas National Park is a protected area in the Brazilian cerrado, a tropical savanna ecosystem characterized by grasslands, scrub, woodland, and strong seasonal variation. It forms part of the Cerrado Protected Areas UNESCO World Heritage property and supports wildlife including giant anteaters, mane...

Meru National Park is an 870-square-kilometer wildlife protected area situated in eastern Kenya. The landscape features diverse habitats, including grassy plains, riverine forests, and extensive swamps fed by 13 local rivers. This reliable water source supports populations of elephants, hippos, chee...

Kruunupuistonharju is a forested esker ridge in Punkaharju, southeastern Finland, within the wider Saimaa lake region. Formed from sediments deposited by glacial meltwater, it is part of a landscape characterized by narrow ridges separating interconnected lakes. Its trails and elevated viewpoints al...

The Zarafshan Nature Reserve safeguards a vital section of Uzbekistan’s landscape encompassing the Zarafshan River Valley. This protected area preserves unique riparian ecosystems supporting species like the Bukhara deer and numerous plant varieties found nowhere else. It is primarily valuable for c...

In Uzbekistan's western Tien Shan mountains, Mount Chatkal Biosphere Reserve protects mountain habitats across a wide range of elevations. Its UNESCO biosphere designation recognizes its importance for biodiversity and scientific study. Alpine ecosystems form part of a broader habitat mosaic that in...

Dudhwa National Park is a protected wildlife reserve located in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, India. It encompasses subtropical broadleaf forests, grasslands, and marshes that provide critical habitats for several endangered species. The park is notably home to a population of Indian rhinoceros...

Shuklaphanta National Park is a protected wildlife reserve located in the Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal, encompassing an area of subtropical grassland and forest. It is most notable for managing the world's largest population of the swamp deer, locally known as Barasingha. The park provides crucia...

Pap National Nature Park is a protected area within northeastern Papua New Guinea. It covers roughly 370,000 hectares of lowland rainforest. The park’s significance lies in its exceptional biodiversity including many unique, endemic plant and animal species. It's primarily for scientists, researcher...

The Chatkal State Nature Reserve safeguards a significant portion of Uzbekistan’s Tian Shan mountain range. It protects varied landscapes – forests, meadows, and high peaks – supporting unique plant and animal life found nowhere else. The reserve is vital for biodiversity conservation and research,...

Cantão State Park is a protected conservation area located in the state of Tocantins, Brazil. It functions as a significant ecotone where the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado tropical savanna, and the Pantanal wetlands intersect. The park's floodplain contains numerous oxbow lakes and river channels t...