Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP), as its name suggests, study whale sharks in the Republic of Maldives. However, that aspect of their work is merely the tip of the ice berg. The programme was created in 2006, when four British university graduates set off to the 1192-island archipelago on a pilot study in search of the whale shark, after learning from the dive industry (already well established in the Maldives) that there were a substantial number of whale sharks throughout the country but not one person was studying them.

The Planeterra Foundation’s sea turtle project (Playa Matapalo, Costa Rica) is a science-based conservation program, which was created with the purpose of protecting female sea turtles, nests, and hatchlings laid on the Matapalo beach, against poachers and natural and introduced predators. A turtle hatchery protects the eggs of this endangered species and the program has ensured the survival of the sea turtles with a large increase in the number of hatchlings in the area.

By Ethan Gelber, whl.travel – About 190 kilometres south of Tirana, Albania, between Dhërmi and Himara (Himarë) in the hills above the coast, the small town of Vuno isn’t on most tourist radar. Not, that is, unless they’re headed two kilometres away to two of the Albanian Riviera’s most beautiful waterside retreats: the Jal and Gjipe beaches. Although not entirely devoid of tourist services – there are a few family-run restaurants and guesthouses at Jal – they are still blissfully unspoiled by mass tourism.

“To become familiar with Parque Natural da Madeira means valuing it and conserving it better! The area of Parque Natural da Madeira, which covers approximately two-thirds of the territory of the Island of Madeira, is protected by legal mechanisms and concrete measures. It also enjoys the dedicated actions of private and public services and, in particular, counts on the determination of Madeiran citizens to preserve and hold it in high esteem.” – Manuel Antonio Rodrigues Correia, Madeira Regional Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources

Despite the fact that most sharks are among the most threatened marine wildlife in our oceans, shark conservation efforts continue to face great challenges due to sharks’ “reputation” as dangerous predators. Learn more about sharks from Hawaii Shark Encounters and be part of the global efforts to fight misconceptions, support more research and further conservation initiatives. Hawaii Shark Encounters works closely with Shark Allies, a non-profit organization that promotes proper understanding and respect for sharks and supports ocean conservation.

Matava and Bite Me Gamefishing Charters in Fiji are taking a leading role in the international shark conservation efforts, organizing Fiji to become the first country to fully participate in the Shark-Free Marina Initiative (SFMI). The SFMI works with marinas, boaters and fishermen to develop policy designed to protect sharks as a vital component of the oceans health. The SFMI’s purpose is to reduce worldwide shark mortality. Working with marinas, fishermen and like minded non-profit groups, it forms community conscious policy and increase awareness of the need to encourage shark conservation.

(This article was first published by our friends at whl.travel, who have agreed to its republication here.) In April 2001, John and Silvana Nicholls, today owners and operators of Vanuatu Hotels, arrived in Vanuatu to launch and manage the new White Grass Ocean Resort on the island of Tanna. It was their intention to ensure that it would operate according to strict environmental guidelines, so they immediately declared it a bird sanctuary, protecting fowl from the indigenous practice of hunting and eating them.

(This article was first published by our friends at whl.travel, who have agreed to its republication here.) Somewhere along the line we have all heard of the Maldives, renowned for their turquoise waters and year-round idyllic weather. With over 1,000 islets and 26 atolls, the Republic of Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean about 700km southwest of Sri Lanka. Beauty through purity is one of the things that make the Maldives a premium romantic location targeted by honeymooners. However, unlike the typical visitor, why not jump at the occasion to see the country from a completely different perspective

P.A.P Corp. is an eco-friendly hotel company with 4 hotels in Thessaloniki and Halkidiki and a Hotel and Restaurant Management School (HOTELIA). Active member of TIES, Clean up Greece, Legambiente, WWF, and HSPN (The Greek Society for protection of Nature), P.A.P Corp. contributes to socially and environmentally responsible tourism practices locally and internationally. The company is also an active supporter of such initiatives as the Happy Tourist project and Europe for All, to promote accessibility tourism.

From TIES EcotourismTrend YouTube subscriptions: Our favorite beach & ocean eco-videos! Seacology: Seacology’s Indonesia EcoReef project – Manado Tua Island is a towering extinct volcano fringed with picturesque reef drop-offs and capped with a rainforest at its summit. The island’s 3,200 inhabitants form a very tightly-knit community of farmers and fishermen who cling tenaciously to their Sangir cultural traditions. Large sections of Manado Tua’s coral reef have been reduced to rubble fields due to blast fishing activities that took place over a decade ago…