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Travelers visit breeding centers for giant tortoises in the Galapagos, and meet some of the newest residents. Photo by Alicia Cruz

Galapagos Travel: After 40 Years, Giant Tortoises back on Pinta Island

In late May 2010, thirty-nine giant tortoises were released onto the Galapagos’ Pinta Island. Called the “Pinta Project 2010“, the release and monitoring of the tortoises is definitely a team effort that includes Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment, the Galapagos Conservancy, Galapagos National Park, State University of New York, and the Huston Zoo. Pinta Island has not seen tortoises on its shores for nearly 40 years, when the last known Pinta [...]

 

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Giant Tortoise - the Galapagos' namesake

Galapagos Wildlife: Charles Darwin Foundation Releases the Ultimate Wildlife Checklist

      Following an intense two years of research, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) has recently released their Galapagos Known Species Checklist. Teachers, students, scientists, travelers and wildlife enthusiasts in general are encouraged to download and utilize the comprehensive list to further understand the delicate environment of the Galapagos. While this list is just phase one of an ongoing project to fully understand and categorize the known species in [...]

 

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A brown bear fishing for salmon

Wildside of Alaska Travel

Wildlife has come to define Alaska. Images of grand grizzlies, a breaching humpback whale, or a bald eagle snatching a salmon from a stream have come to symbolize the spirit of the United States’ largest state. The list of Alaskan wildlife is long and diverse. Here is a sampling of Alaska’s most famous inhabitants. BEARS Nearly 98 percent of the country’s grizzly bears live in Alaska. They are found throughout [...]

 

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Fourth Annual Earth Hour 3.27.10

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5WYlqD8mR0&feature=player_embedded#] March 27, 2010 will bring with it the fourth annual Earth Hour — the world’s largest switch-off. Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour is designed as a non-partisan movement, where the world’s communities, governments and organizations can come together to do something about climate change. To quote WWF: ‘The movement symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting [...]

 

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Flat Stanley and Beth at Paradise Bay in Antarctica

Flat Stanley Visits Antarctica with Adventure Life

Flat Stanley: The ingenious little international phenomenon that encourages school children to expand their geography know-how and explore the world… arrived on my Missoula, Montana doorstep at the end of October, via US Post. He came compliments of my darling 6-year-old cousin, Evan, from Olive Branch, MS. The timing was perfect — I was only weeks away from departing on a two-week trip to Argentina and Antarctica. And while Stanley [...]

 

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Ten sub-species of giant tortoises exist in the wild. The 11th species has one remaining survivor, Lonesome George, who resides at the Charles Darwin Research Station

Adventure Life Travelers Raise Impressive Funds for Galapagos Conservation

Just how impressive? How about $50,000 worth of funds that are helping to preserve the delicate ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands?! Inspiring. Adventure Life is an active member of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA). IGTOA is a nonprofit association of travel companies, conservation organizations, and other groups that are dedicated to the lasting protection of the Galapagos. Adventure Life, IGTOA and fifteen other IGTOA members have come together [...]

 

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Snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands

Snorkeling with Eagle Rays in the Galapagos

Galapagos Guide, Fabricio Chavez, filmed over a dozen eagle rays while leading a snorkeling tour in the Galapagos. The spotted eagle ray is recognized by the white spots on its body. Including its long tail, this ray can reach up to 16 feet long. While snorkeling in the Galapagos, visitors can also find sting and manta rays and a whole host of other marine life. Thanks for the clip, Fabricio! [...]

 

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The famous and beautiful blue ice of Antarctica

Chilling in Antarctica

  Antarctic traveler and travel writer, Chris Connelly, shares his experiences in the great white continent. I’m wearing snowpants for the first time since childhood, and I have on the same coat I wore several years ago while covering the Iditarod sled dog race across Alaska. This coat comes with an extra dense fleece lining that can be unzipped and removed, and despite living in Wisconsin, where winter temperatures routinely [...]

 

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See rockhopper penguins up close on a Falkland Islands tour

December 2: The Falklands

An absolutely stunning day today! Due to departing Antarctica a half day early, the Expedition Leader requested permission for an additional landing in the Falklands. The landing was at Steeple Jason Island and the highlight was the largest Black Browed Ablatross nesting site in the world. Thousands of the enormous birds covered the beach and upland slopes – a literal sea of wings and squawking. Intermingled with these charismatic birds [...]

 

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Adventure Life Women explore Antarctica

Greetings from Antarctica

Good morning great Adventure Life friends!!! Just a quick note to let you all know that we have fallen in deep deep love with Antarctica. I will fill you in on all the details when we get back, but let’s just say … spectacular. Here’s a bit of our checklist: kayaking through icebergs, camping on the continent, humpback whales, albatross, chinstrap penguins, gentoo penguins, elephant seals, weddell seals and the [...]