Natural Wonders to See Before They Disappear

The world has heard the dour inflections of increasing global warming bleaching the Great Barrier Reef by 2030, glaciers in the Swiss Alps and Glacier National Park, and snow caps of Mt. Kilimanjaro will wane in under 40 years. We have also taken notice of Arctic ice melting that would leave the North Pole bare and Polar Bears wiped out. The immediacy of this situation prompts flocks of curious eco-tourists to travel to places that are environmentally delicate. We spotlight a few areas in danger - some of them lesser known than the rest - that can be visited conscientiously.

The Yangtze River Basin:

Being home to various exotic species like the dwarf blue sheep, giant pandas, Yangtze finless porpoises, and Siberian cranes - all this along with some 400 million people; the area is in jeopardy of losing its most unique marine and animal life by the blow of China's gigantic $24 billion Three Gorges Dam. Though it is too early to know how huge the structure's impact on the environment, the government of China has also acknowledged the destruction that maybe caused.

The reservoir has swamped villages, factories, mines and farms that add to the Yangtze River's existing polluting from agriculture, raw sewage, manufacturing and shipping. Landslides have also occurred and seismologists wonder if the pressure of water above fault lines might result in a disastrous earthquake. Landslides have also happened, and seismologists wonder if the water pressure above two fault lines might result in a devastating quake.