Taking the Best Trip You Never Dreamed About

Galapagos iguana

In the Galapagos, iguanas smile and pose for the camera. ©John T. Andrews

Now, about the middle of January, is the time when I start to dream about the places I’d like to visit. The snow and cold have gotten a good foothold here in the Midwest, the frantic rush of the holidays is over, and there’s an urge to fill the hole the exciting time of December has left with the “next thing to look forward to.”

Contrary to a lot of my fellow Midwesterners, however, I begin to think of far-off destinations in the colder regions: Alaska, Antarctica, Greenland, and Iceland. That could be because my body temperature is already set for the northern climes; I’m comfortable in boots and parkas. And, besides, I tell myself, I already have the proper clothing.

So when I had the opportunity to travel to the Galapagos Islands earlier this year, I was excited — but not quite convinced it was a place I would have chosen if I could have picked a spot anywhere in the world.

It turned out, however, that the location chosen for me couldn’t have been more apt or meaningful. Continue reading →

Candice  Gaukel Andrews
Written By Candice Gaukel Andrews.

Charles Darwin’s Fossils Newly Discovered

Curiosity can lead to wondrous things, as every scientist knows. And it certainly did recently for Dr. Howard Falcon-Lang at the British Geological Survey.

Poking around in a dusty corner in the survey’s archives, Falcon-Lang happened to come across an old cabinet. Being a researcher, of course, he opened a few drawers to see what was inside. He was shocked by what he found: The first slide he pulled out of its pocket turned out to be one of the specimens collected by Charles Darwin on his famous expedition to the Galapagos Islands on the HMS Beagle — one of many such items that have been hidden for more than 165 years.

See the story, as reported by the CBS Evening News.

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Candice  Gaukel Andrews
Written By Candice Gaukel Andrews.

Scientists Discover ‘Extinct’ Galapagos Tortoise

Wow, this is exciting news from the conservation world!  A Galapagos tortoise species thought to be extinct for 150 years has been discovered through DNA analysis by a team of researchers from Yale University. Matt Kareus, executive director of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association, reports on the discovery. (Matt’s article, reprinted below, originally appeared on the IGTOA website; hyperlinks within the article were added by me. Natural Habitat Adventures is a member of IGTOA, an association promoting responsible tourism in the Galapagos.)

Image Copyright: Wendy Worrall Redal

‘Extinct’ Galapagos Tortoise Alive and Kicking, Researchers Say

By Matt Kareus

A species of giant Galapagos tortoise thought to have been extinct since the mid-19th century may still be alive and well in the Galapagos, according to a paper published by Yale researchers in this week’s edition of the journal Current Biology. Continue reading →

Wendy Worrall Redal
Written By Wendy Worrall Redal.

After 87 Years, the Howl of the Wolf Returns to California

A solitary young wolf crossed the state line from Oregon into California’s Siskiyou County a few days ago, marking the first documented sighting of a gray wolf in the state since 1924.

A biologist examines a wolf track near Crater Lake National Park, Ore., while on the trail of a gray wolf known as OR-7. (Richard Cockle/The Oregonian/Dec. 16, 2011)

California Department of Fish and Game said the 2-1/2-year-old male, known as OR-7, traveled more than 300 miles from the remote northeastern corner of Oregon into the northern California mountains, which is prime wolf habitat. The wolf, and any others than might find their way into California, are federally protected by the Endangered Species Act.

As elsewhere in the Mountain West, wolves formerly roamed throughout much of central and northern California until they were eradicated in the 20th century, removing their important ecological role as a top predator.

OR-7 is a descendant of Rocky Mountain wolves, like those that were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park beginning in 1995.
Continue reading →

Wendy Worrall Redal
Written By Wendy Worrall Redal.

Support Global Explorers & Win a Polar Bear Tour!

Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel's "Bizarre Foods" and supporter of Global Explorers

Question: What do Natural Habitat Adventures and globe-trotting foodie travel expert expert Andrew Zimmern have in common?

Well, speaking just for myself, I would NOT say it’s a shared taste for fish heads, pig’s ears and assorted fried, boiled or raw bugs. (Andrew is host of the Travel Channel’s popular “Bizarre Foods” show.)

However, Andrew and we at NatHab are equally enthusiastic about a life-changing organization called Global Explorers. Like Andrew, NatHab believes that travel is an important means of making the world a better, more compassionate place. And so does Global Explorers.

The mission of the educational non-profit is driven by a passion for sharing the most life-changing travel experiences available with young people. That’s why Andrew is spearheading a fundraising campaign to support Global Explorers, and Natural Habitat Adventures is giving away a polar bear expedition that all donors qualify for an opportunity to win. Continue reading →

Wendy Worrall Redal
Written By Wendy Worrall Redal.

The Desire for Tigers: Is It Enough?

NatGeo Tigers 1

A tiger peers at a camera trap it triggered while hunting in the early morning in the forests of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. ©Steve Winter/National Geographic

“We have the means to save the mightiest cat on Earth, but do we have the will?” asks writer Caroline Alexander in an article titled “A Cry for the Tiger” in the December 2011 issue of National Geographic magazine.

The question certainly gives us pause. The United Nations declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity; and because it was also the Chinese Year of the Tiger, the World Wildlife Fund placed the animal at the top of its list of “ten critically important endangered animals that we believe will need special monitoring over the next twelve months.” And in November 2010, the thirteen “tiger countries” attended the St. Petersburg Global Tiger Summit in Russia and pledged to double the number of wild tigers by 2022.

Yet, 2010 came and went with no detectable improvements in wild tiger numbers. In fact, in March 2010, a mother and two cubs were poisoned in the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in western Thailand. In the same month, it appears that villagers who had lost goats to tiger attacks poisoned two young tigers in Ranthambore National Park in India. And today there are still more big cats in captivity than there are in the wild.

So, do we truly have enough “tiger desire” to save the wild cats from extinction?  Continue reading →

Candice  Gaukel Andrews
Written By Candice Gaukel Andrews.
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