Part 2 – Ecotourism Now
Parks and protected areas around the world face a growing crisis to cover the costs of their operation and management. It is estimated that at least $ 12-13 billion will be needed in the next decade to mange protected areas in developing countries according to IUCN World Congress documents in 2005. Parks have long been one of the main attractions for the tourism industry, and this trend continues to increase.

Part 1 – Ecotourism 20 Years Ago

In 1989, hundreds of thousands of acres were being added to park systems to conserve ecosystems around the world. International conservation was going into high gear, driven by the rude fact that development was accelerating in the most vulnerable and biodiverse regions of the planet. Conservationists were talking more about preserving the Amazonian rain forest, and less about “saving the panda.”

Inkaterra develops and implements, through the NGO Inkaterra Association, various projects to help preserve the local environment and manage economic development in a sustainable manner. These projects take place at the bank of Madre de Dios River in the rainforest – where Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica lodge is located – and at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, in the Machu Picchu cloud forest.

As disparate as the subjects of tourism and biophilia would seem, it is apparent that in my life and countless others, they are indeed closely connected. Biophilia is a term created by my environmental hero, Edward O. Wilson, to describe the innate affinity, fascination, and awe that we humans have for other species. Judging from the rates that we visit our zoos and wildlife parks, it must be a common affliction. Yet today, many of us spend our vacations traveling to natural environments not knowing the effect tourism has on the habitats of the very species we set out to see.

“Galápagos is going through rapid population growth and economic development, yet its educational system is not developing at the same pace, contributing to a continuous dependence on professionals from mainland Ecuador and, consequently, an increase in migration to the islands. Building local capacity by training the next generation of conservation leaders is important… we are building a cadre of local people who are committed to the unique Galápagos environment and can fill technical jobs, thereby reducing the number of people who enter the islands on temporary work permits.”

According to Conservation International, “among the most important bird symbols for conservation in the Caribbean are the parrots, including the St. Vincent parrot (Amazona guildingii, VU), the St. Lucia parrot (Amazona versicolor, VU), and the imperial parrot (Amazona imperialis, EN) of Dominica.” The Imperial Amazon of Dominica is arguably one of the most striking members of the genus Amazona. This large, impressive parrot is characterized by vivid purple feathers tipped in black that cover the head and chest, along with deep green feathers on the wings, back and tail.

With 650 species of birds, 120 of mammals, 80 of reptiles, Pantanal is home to the largest concentration of fauna in the Americas, covering parts of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. In the Wet Season, this area is flooded by waters overflowing from its rivers: this is the time when there is an explosion of color in the rich aquatic flora, with the mammals concentrated on a few mound hills. In the Dry Season, lakes are formed which provide a source of food for an enormous variety of wildlife, including migratory birds from all over the world.

The present day mammal fauna of Brazil is a mixture of the descendants of ancient inhabitants of Gondwanaland and newcomers that descended from North America with the closing of the Panama land bridge about 3 million years ago. Some animals managed to reach South America after it was isolated, but before the sea became an unsurpassable barrier. These include the new world primates and the caviomorph rodents. But many of South America mammals are descendants from more recent arrivals and probably out competed species now extinct.