阿曼的阿拉伯大羚羊保護區，是稀有長角羚羊的棲息地，成為第一個從世界遺產上除名景點。過去10日在基督城進行的會議中，22個新遺產因為其傑出的自然、或文化價值而被保護。
在2日結束的基督城會議上，世界遺產委員會將阿拉伯大羚羊保護區除名，是因為阿曼決定縮減保護區的面積達90%，此舉違反大會操作的原則。
委員會視其為摧毀Wusta地區極富全世界價值的遺產，這裡在1994年經由皇家命令設立，也在同年被列為世界遺產之一。
1996年阿拉伯大羚羊的族群數還有450隻，但是由於盜獵和棲地減少，大羚羊的數目減少至65隻，僅剩下4對配偶，使得族群生育力不穩定。
在大規模檢示阿曼政府之後，委員會認為單方面的減少保護區的面積、及計劃繼續碳化氫的探測，將摧毀此遺產的價值及完整性。此保護區還居住著一些瀕臨絕種的物種，包括阿拉伯瞪羚和波班鴇。
委員會在基督城的會議上同時增設22個聯合國教科文組織(UNESCO)世界遺產名單。新的名單包括16個文化、5個自然、及1個綜合文化與自然的遺產。
獨立的諮詢組織國際保育聯盟（IUCN），推薦5個新遺產及1個延期增設的地點，被寫進會議的本文中，委員會也全部採納。新的自然遺產和文化遺產位於非洲、亞洲及歐洲。
Oman's Arabian Oryx Sanctuary, inhabited by the rare species of long horned antelope, has become the first site ever to be deleted from the World Heritage List. During the past 10 days in Christchurch, 22 new sites were protected for their outstanding natural or cultural values.
At its meeting in Christchurch, which concludes today, the World Heritage Committee deleted the property because of Oman's decision to reduce the size of the protected area by 90 percent, in contravention of the Operational Guidelines of the Convention.
This was viewed by the Committee as destroying the outstanding universal value of the sanctuary in the Wusta region, which was created in 1994 by Royal Decree and inscribed on the World Heritage List that same year.
In 1996, the population of the Arabian oryx in the site stood at 450, but due to poaching and habitat degradation, oryx numbers have dwindled to 65 animals with only about four breeding pairs, making viability of this population uncertain.
After extensive consultation with the government of Oman, the Committee felt that the unilateral reduction in the size of the sanctuary and plans to proceed with hydrocarbon prospection would destroy the value and integrity of the site.
The sanctuary is also inhabited by other endangered species, including the Arabian gazelle and houbara bustard.
The Committee also inscribed 22 new sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List during its session in Christchurch. The new inscriptions include 16 cultural, five natural and one mixed, cultural and natural, property.
The IUCN-World Conservation Union, whose independent advisory role is written into the text of the Convention, made five recommendations for new inscriptions and one for a site extension and all were adopted by the Committee.
The newly inscribed natural sites and cultural sites with natural elements are found in Africa, Asia and Europe.
全文及圖片詳見 ENS
