[Oman-L] Oman's Arabian Oryx sanctuary removed from UNESCO's world heritage list

[Joachim Duester]

UNESCO published a press release on 28 June 2007
declaring that Oman's Arabian Oryx Sanctuary is 
to be removed from the UNESCO's World Heritage 
List.

For the text of the press release, see
http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/362

This unprecedented decision was taken because Oman
decided to reduce the size of the protected areas 
by 90 % to allow for unhindered oil & gas exploration
in the area. This was seen by UNESCO as destroying 
the outstanding value of the site which was inscribed
on the list in 1994. 

Breeding pairs have dwindled to four. Numbers of oryx
have declined from 450 in 1996 to 65 now as a result 
of poaching and habitat degradation.