The United Nations has placed a vast antelope migration corridor in South Sudan on its World Heritage in Danger list, marking the first such designation for the young nation.
The move was fast-tracked by UNESCO, highlighting the urgent threats facing the ecological site amid ongoing regional instability.
This listing is part of a wider effort by the UN to identify cultural and natural sites across the Middle East and Africa that are under severe pressure from conflict and environmental degradation.
The South Sudan corridor joins other sites being flagged for their vulnerability to destruction and neglect.
The decision comes as the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned of systematic looting and taxation of trade routes in neighboring Sudan, where warring factions are exploiting resources to fund the civil war.
The instability in the region continues to disrupt local economies and supply chains, including the critical gum arabic trade.