25 January 2011: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are undertaking a five-day monitoring mission to the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in India, from 24-31 January 2011. The mission aims to evaluate progress on the conservation of tigers, Indian elephants and the great one-horned rhino.

The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mission is being undertaken in response to a request from the Government of India to remove the site from the List of World Heritage in Danger. Reintroduction programmes for rhinos and elephants are being carried out in Manas, in addition to monitoring tigers with camera-traps.

The mission is also intended to address: threats posed by illegal logging and poaching in the Pambari Range, invasive species, and management effectiveness. The report of the mission will be provided to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee during its June 2011 meeting, at which it is expected to decide whether to remove Manas from the List of World Heritage in Danger. [IUCN Press Release] [IISD RS Sources]