The cloud forests and hummingbirds of Ecuador
By Claire Salisbury The bus journey to Mindo winds up and out of the high, dry valley in which Quito sits between volcanic peaks, and then down into the wet, lush cloud forest on the western slopes of the Andes. This is one of the most biodiverse places on earth, within the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena hotspot, and recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. Mindo is a quiet little place, surrounded by forested hills...
Deep inside Guyana: the beautiful and biodiverse Rupununi region
By Benedicte de Waziers Deep inside Guyana’s territory hides an enigmatic ecosystem that few people have heard of. The Rupununi region–Raponani in Carib–is located in the Takutu basin in Southern Guyana. The Rupununi is home to many Amerindian tribes, including the Makushi. Despite its fast-growing population and urbanization, the Rupununi provides invaluable services for its inhabitants. The majority of the Makushi people settle...
Capturing Wildlife
By Erika Skogg “You conserve what you know, you don’t conserve what you don’t know.” I thought of this biology quote as I photographed along side Fernando, one of the Humboldt Society’s Ornithologist, as he pulled a shimmering green hummingbird out of the mist net. Strung between skinny silver poles around eight feet tall, the black mesh nets hung through the forest trails. They stood parallel to the forest, winding 100 feet down the...
Rescued Wooly Monkeys in Colombia
Written by Jordanna Dulaney The woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha) is listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN’s Red List. In fact, studies predict that the species will decline at least 30% in the coming 45 years. The IUCN cites hunting, habitat loss due to the expansion of farming land, and pet trafficking. These pictures were taken at a rehabilitation center for animals in the pet trafficking trade in Amacayacu National Park, Colombia....
The river-horse of the Okavango Delta
Written by Alexander Holmgren The word hippopotamus comes from ancient Greek meaning “river horse” and this sturdy animal is the third largest land dwelling mammal in the world. It spends half of its time submerged in large groups in bodies of water such as rivers or lakes taking mud baths to keep itself cool in the hot African day. At dusk, as the sun begins to fall, the hippopotamus will depart from the water to graze on...
Photos: ugly is the new adorable when it comes to saiga babies
A pair of saiga calves. Photo by: Igor Shpilenok. Few species have seen a worse decline in the past 15 years than the Asian antelope, the saiga. Once known for making up one of the world’s largest migrations, the saiga population has dropped from 1.25 million in the 1990s to 50,000 animals today, plunging over 90% and landing itself on the Critically Endangered species list. The Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA), which is...
Photos: Irish scenes (Happy St. Patrick’s Day!)
The west Irish coast. Photo by: Tiffany Roufs and Jeremy Hance. Gallarus Oratory, a 1,200-year old Irish stone church. Photo by: Tiffany Roufs and Jeremy Hance. Typical scene in Ireland: the sun is far away. Photo by: Tiffany Roufs and Jeremy Hance. Driving along the western Irish coast line, notice sheep. Photo by: Tiffany Roufs and Jeremy Hance. Lakes dot peatland. Photo by: Tiffany Roufs and Jeremy Hance. Cliffs of Moher. Photo by:...
Volunteer opportunity in the Peruvian Amazon
Chanti waterfall. Photo courtesy of: The Amazon Waterfalls Association. Have you ever dreamed of visiting the Amazon? How about touring little-seen jungle waterfalls—one of which is three times taller than the Eiffel Tower and 17 times taller than Niagara Falls? The Amazon Waterfalls Association is looking for a few good volunteers to help develop walking paths passing by a series of astounding waterfalls in Peru. “The trek...
Pictures: Falling water on six continents
NORTH AMERICA Waterfall in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Photo by Rhett A. Butler Forest waterfall in Arenal, Costa Rica. Photo by Rhett A. Butler SOUTH AMERICA Waterfall on the summit of Auyantepui, Venezuela. Photo by Rhett A. Butler. Jungle waterfall in Suriname. Photo by Rhett A. Butler. EUROPE Waterfall near Skogar in Iceland. Photo by Tina A. Butler. ASIA Tad Lo waterfall in Laos. Photo by Rhett A. Butler....
Here be stone dragons
Stone dragons at Wat Phra That Pu Khaor in Thailand. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler. Click to see more photos of Wats in Thailand.
Pictures from the Yucatan (post COP16)
After the 20+ hour work days during COP16 in Cancun, Mexico earlier this month, I enjoyed a couple of days out in the forests of El Eden Reserve and Punta Laguna.
Iracambi – Protecting the Beauty of the Atlantic Rainforest
A few weeks ago on Mongabay we featured an interview with Robin and Binka LeBreton, Directors of a Research Centre situated in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. The following is an excerpt from the diary kept by Clare Emily Raybould, a volunteer in January 2010…
