Posts in Responsible-Tourism
How to Watch Snowy Owls in the Wild

Everything you need to know about snowy owls. How can you see or photograph a snowy owl safely and responsibly? What is an irruption year? We asked Scott Kruitbosch of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, New York to tell us all he knows about snowy owls and how to keep them safe. Scott also filled us in on snowy owl behavior, where to see them, and his work in snowy owl conservation at the RTPI. 

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How To Get Great Wildlife Photographs in the Forest

How to get great photographs of wildlife when the subjects are in the forest, hidden by lush foliage and bathed in diffused light? Nature photographer Robert Wallace shares his secrets for getting shots of black bear, Manitoban elk, and more in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park spanning North Carolina and Tennessee. Good tips for staying safe in black bear country too.

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How a (Former) Wildlife Trafficker & A Biologist Are Saving a Species

Parnaiba Headwaters National Park may hold the best kept secret in wildlife conservation. When a young biologist met the best hyacinth macaw poachers in Brazil's Cerrado, he turned them into land and wildlife protectors and hosts of the best holiday experience you will ever have. This is what real responsible wildlife tourism can do. The comfortable SouthWild Wolf camps are owned and run by local people with help from Dr. Charles A. Munn lll, a conservation visionary.   

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See the Last Asiatic Lions in the World, The Lions of Gir!

The last wild Asiatic lions in the world are found only in the Gir National Park, (Gir National Forest). Here, protected and cherished by the local herders who live with them, they are slowly coming back from the brink of extinction. Our reader, Hiren Khambhayta has a passion, and a photographer's eye. for these magnificent big cats. Note: This Park was one of the first to employ a team of women to protect the endangered wildlife.

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Bump Up Your Exposure! What to Do When the Bird is a Bear

A peaceful day of photographing the last of the migrating warblers in late spring gets unexpectedly exciting for wildlife photographer Joe Gliozzo and his friend in Stirling Forest, New York. Joe tells us how to set the exposure when a black bear suddenly fills his lens.

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7 Days Photographing the Most Majestic Parks in America

For the seven days two friends explored and photographed wildlife in “the most majestic National Parks in the County”, Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park and Montana’s Grand Tetons National Park. They found babies galore and grizzly bears, black bears, cinnamon black bears, big horn sheep, moose, plus they answered the important question: Can a single pronghorn outsmart a pair of coyotes?

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It's Whale Shark Festival at Isla Mujeres!

Once a year, when the days are longest, the full moon tiggers an amazing natural event. The simultaneously spawn of thousands of fishes is a call to the biggest, adult whale sharks. The giants arrive in these waters to feed and the celebration is on! You are invited! Swim with whale sharks, dance to traditional music, sample the delicious cuisine of the Isla Mujeres chefs. Bring the kids! All of Isla Mujeres welcomes these gentle ocean giants that have turned their community around from a fishing economy - to an eco-tourism mecca. Don’t miss the fun!

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This is Fun! Ecotourism is a Family Affair at Ceviche Tours

The emphasis at Ceviche Tours is family, respect for the local culture, the environment and FUN! Love for the island and good friends, Capitan Luis “Cuco” Aguirre and his family had been bringing New Yorkers John Vater and his wife Adriana to Isla Mujeres for decades. But when a hurricane compounded the challenges of disappearing fish the island’s commercial fisherman, including the Aguirre family, began to suffer. The Vaters had an idea. Together, John and Captain Luis founded Ceviche Tours. Today, the Ceviche Tours family works to protect whale sharks, the environment, the island’s culture - and they have fun! Bring the kids!

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He's Free! Short-Eared Owl Returns to the Wild

He’s Free! Just hours away from death, a young endangered short-eared owl was rescued by a quick-thinking shop keeper. It took a village of dedicated samaritans to give him his future. But, it is the decades-long work of the Friends of the Washington County Grasslands’ that may determine the fate of his and many other species. Amazing images of the short-eared owl’s release back into the wild and a second chance at life.

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Found! Waterfalls in a Secret Natural Paradise in Florida.

An oasis of crystal clear natural springs, waterfalls, and peaceful walking trails hides just a short drive from Florida's usual tourist stops. It is home to 60+ bird, 40+ butterfly species. Rainbow Springs was a privately owned tourist trap until the interstate by-passed it by in the 1970s. Today, locals and the few savvy travelers who know Rainbow Springs State Park near Dunnellon, Florida swim in the crystal clear waters, drink in the beauty of the waterfalls and hold the secret close to their hearts. Shhhhh! Don't tell.

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How to Get "Killer" Photographs - Amos Nachoum Dispels the Myths

At age 5 Amos Nachoum "drowned". He credits that near-death incident with bonding him to the sea. Today, Nachoum dedicates his life to photographing big predators, whales, bears, sharks, and others mostly in our oceans. His goal is to dispel the myths and spread awareness and respect for our world's most endangered species. Amos is having a great time. You are invited to join him on a wildlife photography tourism adventure with BigAnimals. 

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