Posts

Sampling the World

By wildgirl -
Image
Faraaz Abdool reports from the international tourism marketplace ITB Berlin held in Germany in March. All photos courtesy Faraaz Abdool   The world’s largest tourism trade fair - commonly known as the ITB has been held annually in Berlin Germany since 1966.   The Internationale Tourismus-Börse which means “international tourism market,” seems to include all aspects of natural history and culture, from all over the world. Every year tourism players from across the world journey to Berlin to display, promote, and make new connections to improve their tourism industries, to enhance attractions and pull visitors.   It is an opportunity to network, learn and gain new insight into what might be marketable.   While government agencies such as tourist boards, ministries, and foreign offices occupy significant floor space, there are several exhibitors -   cruise lines, airlines, hotels, tour operators - that offer services to multiple countries. The UNESCO World Heritage Centre draws at
Post a Comment
Read more

When the Moon blocks the Sun

By wildgirl -
Image
Anjani Ganase discusses the phenomenon of a total solar eclipse   On April 8, parts of the USA, Canada and Mexico will experience a total solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse happens when the moon lines up with the sun and blocks most of the sun’s light to the area of Earth directly in its path. While the full process of the eclipse takes hours for the line-up of the moon and the sun, the time for the total black out of the sun lasts only a few minutes, during which time the sky turns to twilight and in some cases the temperature drops. The last time I experienced a total solar eclipse, I was on a boat on the northern Great Barrier Reef off Lizard Island. The light dipped so much that we were able to see the stars around the sun. The atmosphere was eerie, and it felt as if nature was also silent in observation.   We wondered about the impacts on the ocean life and the behaviours in nature around us.    Solar eclipse of 2017 August 21 in Oregon. Photo by Guiseppe Donatiello CC0 1.
Post a Comment
Read more

Avian Flu and Biosecurity Rules in Antarctica

By wildgirl -
Image
Dr Anjani Ganase discusses how the spread of disease is being curbed in Antarctica through the knowledge and co-operative efforts of scientists and tour operators. Lessons in community and communication that bear being echoed in other ecotourist destinations.   Avian influenza virus (HPAI – highly pathogenic avian influenza -   H5N1 strain) has been confirmed on the continent of Antarctica. Samples were taken from two dead skua birds found by Argentinian scientists near Antarctic base Primavera. Since then, other confirmed cases include one Adelie penguin on Beagle Island and an Antarctic Shag farther south along the coast. In October 2023, the first confirmed case of Avian Flu was recorded in the Sub-Antarctic Islands of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands as well as the Falkland Islands. Today, the infected species on the island include a range of bird species – skuas, albatross, a gentoo penguin, and even an elephant seal. The genetic assessment of th
Post a Comment
Read more

Developing the Home Market for Ecotourism

By wildgirl -
Image
  Pat Ganase encourages Trinbagonians to enjoy nature in these retreats on our islands. “Tobago has always had ecotourism,” says one environmentalist engaged in tourism. And Trinidad? The country’s best known ecotourism destination prides itself on attracting visitors from all over the world for close to 60 years. Who are these ecotourists that come from elsewhere, to be charmed by where we live here: the nature of forests and seashores and the animals and plants therein. Do they always need to be foreigners.   The best thing about eco-tourism is that everyone can enjoy it, learn from it and become better citizen stewards of our own country.   It does not require massive infrastructure, but does depend on strategic investments in long-term management of natural resources. Perhaps the most important foundation is respect for natural spaces. Any vision of individual or community must be enhanced and supported through policy, conscious use and the reliability of necessary syste
1 comment
Read more

What Coral Bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef means

By wildgirl -
Image
Dr Anjani Ganase, coral reef ecologist, looks at the bleak picture through the lens of the degradation of coral reefs worldwide, and what we must do to reverse the trend towards an unsustainable existence.   El Niño climate conditions aggravated by man-made global heating caused mass bleaching on coral reefs in the northern hemisphere during the summer of 2023, and brought devastation and mortality to reefs throughout the Caribbean. In Tobago, above average temperatures persisted for three months (September to November 2023). Over the past month, these conditions have delivered a deadly blow to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Anomalously high ocean temperatures have been washing over the reefs for at least ten weeks, similar to the heat waves experienced in Caribbean.   Initial reports from the Australian Institute of Marine Science who conducted aerial surveys state that broadscale mass bleaching has occurred along the shallow reefs in the impacted regi
Post a Comment
Read more

Venturing into the Eco-Zone

By wildgirl -
Image
Faraaz Abdool advocates eco-tourism – using the example of Costa Rica – as the way to preserve Trinidad and Tobago’s natural diversity and create a people-based economy. Could the people of Trinidad and Tobago get behind such a bold initiative?   Life is a dynamic, fluid experience, and we could do ourselves a tremendous favour by ensuring that the process of learning – and therefore growth – is continuous. This holds true for the individual, as well as for the collective. The word “ecotourism” is gaining traction in conversations throughout the region, and while it may be new ground for us, there are many countries that have been sustainably utilizing their natural wealth for economic gain.   Within the discussion of nature-based tourism, few places are mentioned as frequently as Costa Rica. Often hailed as the gold standard of ecotourism, Costa Rica is the most visited nation in Central America and one of the most popular destinations in the world. Visitors flock to the relat
Post a Comment
Read more