Nature & Wildlife
Some tiny birds on remote Scottish islands are undergoing a dramatic evolutionary transformation. Four isolated populations of British wrens have grown astonishingly large. At the other end of the scale, however, leopards in South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region have become much smaller than most African leopards.
Conservation
Over the last century, Earth’s wild places have seen startling declines in biodiversity. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, around one million species are currently at risk of extinction. The main cause? Human activity.
Galapagos Islands
If you have ever wondered what the secret to longevity is, look no further than species that have inhabited Earth for centuries. Many are ocean-dwelling, though a few land animals have evolved to live far longer than humans. These long lifespans are often linked to slow metabolism, stable environments and limited predation.
Conservation
By Lorin Hancock, Lead Specialist of Media and External Affairs at WWF As a communications professional at WWF, my primary purpose is to motivate and inspire people to act to make the world a better place. But I have a confession: sometimes, it’s difficult to stay positive. You’ve seen the news.
Galapagos Islands
Written by Tee Sindler, WWF’s Director of Estate Administration As I sat aboard the Tip Top IV, listening to one passenger after another express their excitement about exploring the Galapagos—an adventure they could now proudly check off their bucket list—I smiled and nodded.
Conservation
Our partner Lindblad Expeditions’ experience in the Galapagos Islands began with bringing the very first group of international travelers to the islands in 1967.
Galapagos Islands
Turtles and tortoises are some of the oldest living reptiles, having roamed the earth for more than 200 million years. Many people call tortoises turtles, and that’s not wrong. Tortoises are, in fact, turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises.
Nature & Wildlife
While you probably haven’t celebrated it for the past 20 years, World Turtle Day is coming up on May 23. This annual event was created by the American Tortoise Rescue in 2002 to call attention to the dwindling numbers of these animals due to environmental hazards and human interference.
Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands offer so many unique experiences for travelers. From encounters with wildlife unbothered by humans to the varying geological features from island to island, there is so much to see and learn.
Conservation
Roberto Plaza is the owner of Montemar, a sustainable farm on Santa Cruz Island dedicated to Galapagos giant tortoise conservation. In 2010, Roberto and his wife, Reyna, began growing Arabic coffee on abandoned pasture land. The coffee flourished under the shade of tropical fruits and native trees, which the couple painstakingly planted.
News & More
More great news for the Galapagos! A species of giant tortoise, believed to have been extinct for the past 113 years, has been found on the island of Fernandina. This historic discovery comes a month after land iguanas were reintroduced to Santiago Island for the first time in 184 years.
Galapagos Islands
A visit to the Galapagos Islands can provide one of the most magical life-changing experiences for anyone, not the least of which was its influence on Charles Darwin and the development of his theory of evolution.
