Atsinanana Madagascar

Slide 17 of 26: Madagascar Located in eastern Madagascar, this World Heritage Site consistently tops many traveler’s must-visit lists. And no wonder, the six national parks located along the nearly 1,000-mile length of eastern Madagascar are home to many rare species like 25 different lemurs, 50 species of reptiles, and 100 endemic species of freshwater fish, many of which are severely threatened. “Such a rich, biodiverse landmass has attracted negative attention which has endangered its natural environment,” says Aman Saxena of Trip101. “Unfortunately, poaching and illegal logging in the area caused the Rainforests of Atsinanana to be placed on the UNESCO ‘in danger’ list last 2010. Other factors such as agricultural encroachment, livestock grazing, mining, quarrying, infrastructure development, and the dreadful climate change have also helped to maintain the rainforests’ spot in the [not preferred] list.”