This list has taken me a long time to go through. I realize that when we are setting a limit like Top 200 that we can only provide the highlights of the world's fauna, but even still I found it hard to winnow down sites. In some cases, I opted to choose sites that were on other lists because they have already gotten support for other components. In other cases, I chose sites from other categories to represent specific regions that weren't covered on this list (and I'll probably be recommending them when those categories come up for discussion). Here's the list I've come up with (sorry it ended up so long):
Africa 1. Serengeti -- savannah in eastern Africa that hosts the world's largest annual overland migration of animals, as wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles (followed by their predators) relocate in search of new watering holes and grazing areas 2. Ngorogoro -- actually covers much of the same wildlife as the nearby Serengeti, but located in a volcanic crater 3. Okavango Delta (Natural Landscape, River/Lake category) -- wetland in southern Africa that is home to a variety of birds, as well as white and black rhinoceros, elephant, lions, and leopards 4. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park -- montane forest in central Africa that is home to half the world's population of mountain gorillas 5. Dja Faunal Reserve -- rainforest in west-central Africa which includes wildlife like the western lowland gorilla and the forest elephant 6. Rainforests of the Atsinanana -- highlights wildlife endemic to Madagascar, including lemurs 7. iSimangaliso Wetland Park (Natural Landscape, River/Lake category) -- highlights marine life (including whales and whale sharks) off the southeastern coast of Africa 8. Banc d'Arguin -- nesting ground off the west coast of Africa for a diverse range of migrating birds 9. Air and Ténéré (Natural Landscape, Desert category) -- covers wildlife unique to the Sahara desert, including endangered antelope 10. Aldabra Atoll -- Indian ocean island with giant tortoises and a variety of birds
Asia 1. Socotra Archipelago (Natural Landscape, Marine/Coastal category) -- this is the closest area to represent the Arabian Peninsula (thanks to Oman), and it represents reptiles endemic to the Socotra islands, as well as migratory sea birds and marine life; the flora is more distinctive here 2. Keoladeo National Park -- important nesting area in South Asia for migratory birds from Siberia and China, including the rare Siberian crane 3. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary -- highlights wildlife found in the Himalayan foothills, including Asian elephants, Bengal tigers, water buffalo, the Indian rhinoceros, and pygmy hogs 4. Dong Phayayen -- Southeast Asian forest home to elephants, tigers, leopard cats, and the Siamese crocodile 5. Tropical Rainforest Sumatra (Natural Landscape, Forest category) -- Indonesian rainforest which is home to the Sumatran orang-utan, rhinoceros, elephants, tigers, and Malayan sun-bears 6. Golden Mountains of Altai (Natural Landscape, Mountain category) -- includes animals found on the steppes and mountains of central Asia, including the endangered snow leopard 7. Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries -- highlights the most well-known of China's fauna, but also includes red pandas and endangered leopards 8. Central Sikhote Alin (Natural Landscape, Forest category) -- covers a temperate zone from taiga to subtropics in eastern Asia, and is home to the Siberian tiger and Himalayan bear 9. Wrangel Island -- Arctic islands home to polar bears, walrus, grey whales, and migratory birds
Australia and Oceania 1. Gondwana Rainforests (Natural Landscape, Forest category) -- rainforests in eastern Australia which are home to a variety of marsupials, including kangaroos, koala, and platypus 2. Great Barrier Reef (Natural Landscape, Marine/Coastal category) -- coral reefs off northeastern Australia which are home to a variety of marine life 3. Sub-Antarctic Islands (Natural Landscape, Insular category) -- highlights penguins, sea birds, and marine life found in the Southern Ocean 4. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Geological Formation, Volcanic/Thermal category) -- home to bird life endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, including Hawaiian songbirds and the nēnē (Hawaiian goose), as well as sea turtles
North America 1. Everglades (Natural Landscape, River/Lake category) -- located in the southeastern corner of the US, this is North America's most significant breeding ground for wading birds, and is also home to panthers, alligators, crocodiles, and manatees 2. Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Natural Landscape, River/Lake category) -- Central American rainforest home to giant anteaters, ocelots, jaguars, and monkeys 3. Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (Wildlife Habitat, Flora category) -- home to parrots, hummingbirds, lizards, and small mammals found on Caribbean islands 4. El Pinacate -- (Natural Landscape, Desert category) desert region in southwestern North America, home to pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and desert tortoises 5. Gulf of California -- located in southwestern North America, this marine environment contains almost 40% of the world's total number of marine mammal's species 6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Natural Landscape, Forest category) -- highlights wildlife from the Appalachian Mountains of eastern North America, including black bears, red foxes, white-tailed deer, raccoons, and a variety of salamanders 7. Yellowstone -- Rocky Mountain park home to bison, wolves, and grizzly bears 8. Olympic National Park (Natural Landscape, Diverse Ecosystems category) -- located in the northwest of the United States, this park is home to wildlife typical of the Pacific Northwest, including elk, bear, cougars, and beavers 9. Wood Buffalo National Park -- represents the boreal forests of northern North America, and is home to the world's largest herd of free-roaming wood bison, as well as the only known breeding habitat of the whooping crane
South America 1. Galapagos Islands -- located off the west coast of South America, these islands are world-renowned and home to giant tortoises, flightless comorants, and finches 2. Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (Natural Landscape, Diverse Ecosystems category) -- Amazonian rainforest home to jaguars, giant anteaters, giant armadillos, and river dolphins 3. Pantanal (Natural Landscape, River/Lake category) -- wetlands in southwestern Brazil home to jaguars, alligators, giant anteaters, capybaras, and a variety of birds 4. Huascarán National Park (Natural Landscape, Mountain category) -- represents Andean wildlife, including condors, vicuña, and the spectacled bear 5. Brazilian Atlantic Islands (Natural Landscape, Marine/Coastal category) -- highlights marine life such as sharks and dolphins, as well as turtle and sea birds found off the Atlantic coast of northeastern South America 6. Peninsula Valdés (Natural Landscape, Marine/Coastal category) -- Patagonian peninsula and waters on the southeastern coast of South America, which is home to right whales, sea lions, and elephant seals
Europe 1. Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Bialowieza Forest -- woodland in north-central Europe, home to wolves, European bison, lynx, and otters 2. Plitvice Lakes (Natural Landscape, River/Lake category) -- forested area in southeastern Europe which is home to brown bears, owls, and wolves 3. Gulf of Porto (Natural Landscape, River/Lake category) -- represents Mediterranean bird and marine life 4. Laponian Area (Geological Formation, Glaciation category) -- subarctic region in Scandinavia, which is home to reindeer and migrating birds |