UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, which is holding its yearly session in St. Petersburg until July 6, has included Russia's Lena Pillars national park on its list of areas of special natural importance.
The Sakha republic park was awarded special heritage status despite a "large" number of objections from UNESCO's consultative body, which considered the park's application incomplete, Greenpeace Russia wrote on its website.
Lena Pillars, which covers roughly 485,000 hectares in the region also known as Yakutia in Russia's Far East, is famed for its column-like rock formations along the banks of the Lena River. The natural towers can reach 100 meters in height and were formed during the Cambrian era more than 500 million years ago, the park's website said.
Researchers have also discovered the remains of ancient species on the park's territory, including bones of mammoths, Lena horses and woolly rhinoceroses.
According to Greenpeace, the park is currently home to 21 plants listed on Russia's Red List of protected species as well as 21 mammals and 101 types of birds.
Lena Pillars on Monday became the 10th Russian national park on the heritage list. The park failed with a similar bid in 2009.
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