EASTER ISLAND, Chile - In just 100 years, the emblematic stone sculptures that guard the coastline of Easter Island could be little more than simple rectangular blocks, conservation experts are warning.
Dozens of giant “Moai” statues dominate the hillsides surrounding the island’s Rano Raraku wetland, but they are facing the threat of what locals describe as a kind of leprosy, white spots that are appearing on their iconic facades. “I imagine that in a century more these Moai will basically be rectangular figures,” Tahira Edmunds, adviser to Chile’s National Forestry Corporation who has worked on cleaning the sculptures to remove the lichen, told Reuters during a visit to the island last month.
The most famous Moai groupings, such as the Ahu Tongariki, 15 statues arranged along a platform by the sea, and those scattered around the Ranu Raraku quarry, the source of the stone, are already being cared for by heritage experts and the indigenous community’s administrators of the Rapa Nui National Park.
“You will never be able to entirely prevent the impact of time or the weather, but you can hold it back, so that more people can see them first,” Haoa told Reuters.With no government fund specifically dedicated to preserving the island’s heritage, the community allocates a large part of its income from tourism to repair and protection measures.
Mayor Pedro Edmunds Paoa instead suggested the Hoa Hakananai’a could act as an “ambassador” for Easter Island, and Britain could keep it in return for regular payments to ensure the upkeep of its Easter Island counterparts. “We would win much more,” he said.
They threw a huge fit to get a statue back from England and they can’t even maintain the ones they have
They are called Moai. 🗿
Build a visitors center, and put them in there to preserve them, if moving them isn't too risky. Then put replicas out in the landscape.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: YahooNews - 🏆 380. / 59 Read more »
21 Details From 'Monsters, Inc.' That'll Make You Say, 'How Did I Not Notice That?!'Here Are 21 Small Details From “Monsters, Inc.” That You Might’ve Missed The First Time
Source: BuzzFeed - 🏆 730. / 51 Read more »
Source: WSJ - 🏆 98. / 63 Read more »
Source: YahooNews - 🏆 380. / 59 Read more »
Source: USATODAY - 🏆 100. / 63 Read more »
Countries are seeking help to deal with corporate tax avoidanceJamaica still has a piracy problem. Today's buccaneers are international firms As long as there is ONE place on earth to dodge taxes, some of them will. And even if there isn't as long as there is one politician or regulator to bribe most attempts to stop the subversion will be futile. The sun will be a piece of coal before we have only honest politicians
Source: TheEconomist - 🏆 6. / 92 Read more »
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »
Source: WSJ - 🏆 98. / 63 Read more »
Source: CNBC - 🏆 12. / 72 Read more »