Message from the Director of World Heritage, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, for World Wildlife Day 2025

Today, World Wildlife Day is a powerful reminder of the urgent need to protect and conserve biodiversity. Around the globe, countless plant and animal species face unprecedented threats, with many on the brink of extinction. This includes some of the rarest and most extraordinary species that inhabit sites protected under the World Heritage Convention.

UNESCO World Heritage sites exemplify our cultural treasures and the most outstanding natural places. They protect over a fifth of the planet’s mapped species richness.

World Heritage sites include the mangrove ecosystems of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh and India, home to the largest remaining population of the Bengal tiger. The Rainforests of the Atsinanana in Madagascar and Manú National Park in Peru, are among the most biodiverse places on Earth. World Heritage sites also show how wildlife conservation supports livelihoods and promotes sustainable socio-economic development.

However, the extraordinary biodiversity found in UNESCO World Heritage sites must be protected from threats such as overexploitation and illegal wildlife trade. To combat these threats, UNESCO and site managers work closely with CITES and other key actors. We need all hands on deck. To protect these irreplaceable places, it is crucial to give site managers the financial resources they need to sustain the rich life these sites support.

On this World Wildlife Day, I urge everyone to look for innovative financial solutions that will allow wild species of plants and animals to thrive for generations to come. Together, we can ensure the survival of wildlife and the preservation of the planet’s natural wonders.