Moon added to list of threatened cultural sites over looting fears from planned commercial trips

Potential looting and commercial trips pose risk to artefacts left by lunar landings, says World Monuments Fund

Bénédicte de Montlaur, the president and chief executive of the World Monuments Fund said 'the inclusion of the moon underscores the universal need for proactive and co-operative strategies to protect heritage — whether on Earth or beyond — that reflect and safeguard our collective narrative'. File photo

The moon has been placed on a list of threatened heritage sites, owing to fears of potential looting and destruction caused by planned commercial trips.

The watchlist of the World Monuments Fund (WMF) usually includes vulnerable cultural sites on Earth. This year’s selection — the first since 2022 — includes Qhapaq Ñan, a pre-Hispanic Andean road system. Antakya in Turkey and the Noto peninsula in Japan, which were damaged by earthquakes, also made the list.