1183 stories
Good news for whales in Antarctica! On Monday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) officially ruled that Japan must halt its annual whale hunt in Antarctica’s Southern Ocean. In a resounding 12-4 vote, The ICJ—the United Nations’ highest judicial body—determined that Japan’s JARPA II whaling program is really a commercial operation disguised as “scientific research.”
What is your ideal way to explore the Galapagos Islands? Is it to kayak against the tide, warming your muscles as you cruise past lava rocks covered in marine iguanas? Or carefully photograph every marquis species that left Charles Darwin wide eyed? Or snorkel among green turtles and sea lions?
The elegant gray-and-pink river dolphins that glide majestically through the chocolate-colored waters of the Amazon River aren’t always thought of in such glowing terms. In fact, many residents of the Amazon basin once considered them to be bad luck or even downright evil.
As I was driving home from the YMCA yesterday, I saw two sandhill cranes near a small pond that sits along the highway, only about a half-mile from my house. They were my first sandhill crane sightings of 2014.
Lying on the border of Brazil and Argentina, Iguacu Falls was born millions of years ago, likely the result of a volcanic eruption and from the slow but steady movement of tectonic plates. It was simply but aptly named “Great Falls” by local Indians. 10.
1. Where do orangutans live? Orangutans are found only in the rain forests of the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. They spend nearly their entire lives in trees—swinging in tree tops and building nests for sleep. 2. Do the two species of orangutans look different from one another?
Lions and whale sharks and bears, oh my! We’ve compiled 50 fascinating facts about five of the most popular wildlife you like to see on our tours: Pandas, whale sharks, lions, polar bears and orangutans.
International Polar Bear Day comes once a year on February 27 to raise awareness for the “King of the Arctic.” As Arctic sea ice takes longer and longer to form, polar bears–and humans sharing their habitat–face daily threats.
Polar Bear Pop Quiz Q: Which is the greatest threat to polar bears? a. Industrial Development b. Conflict with Humans c. Climate Change d. Unsustainable Hunting Find the answer and see how much you know about polar bears by taking WWF’s Polar Bear IQ quiz!
It’s International Polar Bear Day this Thursday – February 27th – and we’re celebrating with an entire Polar Bear Week on the blog! Each day we’ll feature something new, like polar bear trivia and video, tips on how you can make a difference this International Polar Bear Day, and more.
10. The first panda came to the United States in 1936—a cub to a zoo in Chicago. It took another 50 years before the States would see another. 9. A newborn panda cub is 1/900th the size of its mother and is comparable to the length of a stick of butter.
Go on a safari in Africa and you’ll hear plenty about the “Big 5.” The term originally referred to the top five species that hunters sought on their bucket list but has now evolved to mean the top five big mammals in Africa—those being the lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard and rhino.
