Mexico The El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve is the largest wildlife reserve in Mexico. Covering a wide swath of both the Baja California Peninsula and the Pacific Ocean, it is one of the best preserved wildlife areas south of the border. The land surface is populated by rare birds and animals, but it is the marine life for which this reserve is most famous. El Vicaino is world … [Read more...]
KOMODO NATIONAL PARK
Indonesia Komodo National Park is a combination terrestrial and marine wildlife sanctuary devoted primarily to the preservation of its namesake resident: the Komodo Dragon. Made up of nearly thirty islands in the Lessa Sundra chain, Komodo National Park is one of the most important wildlife reserves in Oceania. A major ecotourism destination, Komodo is a UNESCO World … [Read more...]
PENANG NATIONAL PARK
Malaysia Penang National Park is a small but very popular wildlife park of the Malay Peninsula. Originally founded as a forest reserve, Penang is almost as well known for its beach environments and nearby sealife. Although equally excellent for both land and sea life, it is probably more popular as a maritime destination and the viewing of dolphins and sea turtles which it … [Read more...]
TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK
New Zealand Tongariro National Park is the oldest and most famous park in New Zealand. It also claims to be the fourth oldes national park in the world. Both a cultural and wildlife reserve, it is home to a large number of species of birds as well as other animals both indigenous and alien to the north island. Thanks to its central location almost exactly halfway between … [Read more...]
TASMANIAN WILDERNESS
Australia The Tasmanian Wilderness is a massive, multi-national park area that collectively is one of the largest wilderness preserves in Australia. Nine parks, partially interconnected, make up the Tasmanian Wildernss, covering one-fifth of the island of Tasmania and including everything from mountain to rainforest to coastal areas. Almost all of Tasmania’s unique animal … [Read more...]
CHERNOBLE EXCLUSION ZONE
Ukraine The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone has to win the award as the unlikeliest wildlife refuge on the planet. Although the animal population here is still recovering, the CEZ is nothing short of a miracle of nature. While wildlife viewing is still tentative, and access still highly restrictive, Chernobyl almost seems destined to become a park that will someday be a huge draw … [Read more...]
KARS WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
Turkey The Kars Wildlife Corridor is a region in the extreme northeastern corner of Turkey which boasts some of the biggest animal populations in the entire Middle East. Though not yet an organized protected area, the Turkish government is working to build up the environmental presence in the Kars Province, which is part of an ecosystem that stretches northwards into the … [Read more...]
BIALOWIEZA NATIONAL PARK
Poland Bialowieza National Park is generally regarded as one of the best wildlife parks in continental Europe outside of Russia. Relatively small, it adjoins a sister park in neighboring Belarus, and together these incorporate most of the Bialowieza Forest. This area, one of the last surviving remnants of Europe’s primeval forest, is home to excellent animal viewing, … [Read more...]
LAPLAND
Finland Lapland in northern Finland is one of Europe’s last great wilderness frontiers. Not technically a park or wildlife reserve, this vast region is nevertheless regarded as an important environmental treasure, and is home to what is arguably the best wildlife viewing in Scandinavia. Home to a vibrant Christmas tradition, Lapland’s star animal attraction are the vast … [Read more...]
SVALBARD ARCHIPELAGO
Norway The Svalbard Archipelago is the northernmost territory of Europe outside of Russia and the gateway to the Arctic. Only sparsely inhabited by humans, mostly for commercial reasons, the Svalbard islands represent a largely pristine, if very frozen, wilderness. Because of this it is one of the best places anywhere to view Arcitc wildlife, especially Norway’s most popular … [Read more...]
