Editing Turks and Caicos Islands (section)

===Biodiversity===
[[File:Blue Tang and Squirrelfish.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Acanthurus coeruleus|blue tang]] and a [[squirrelfish]] in Princess Alexandra Land and Sea National Park, Providenciales]]
[[File:Whale-off-south-caicos.jpg|thumb|[[Humpback whale]] breaching off [[South Caicos]]]]
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a [[biodiversity hotspot]]. The islands have many [[Endemism|endemic species]] and others of international importance, due to the conditions created by the oldest established salt-pan development in the Caribbean. The variety of species includes a number of endemic species of lizards, snakes, insects and plants, and [[Marine life|marine organisms]]; in addition to being an important breeding area for seabirds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kew.org/science/ukots/Pages/tci2ai.htm |title=Science: UK Overseas Territories – Turks and Caicos Islands |publisher=Kew |access-date=29 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108201744/http://www.kew.org/science/ukots/Pages/tci2ai.htm |archive-date=8 November 2012}}</ref>

The UK and Turks and Caicos Islands Governments have joint responsibility for the conservation and preservation to meet obligations under international environmental conventions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kew.org/science/ukots/Pages/biodiv.htm |title=Science: UK Overseas Territories: Biodiversity |publisher=Kew |access-date=29 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502221314/http://www.kew.org/science/ukots/Pages/biodiv.htm |archive-date=2 May 2013}}</ref>

Due to this significance, the islands are on the United Kingdom's tentative list for future [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5682/ |title=Turks and Caicos Islands – UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher=Whc.unesco.org |date=27 January 2012 |access-date=29 December 2012 |archive-date=18 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618032833/http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5682 |url-status=live }}</ref>