The incredible biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands is a draw for nature enthusiasts of all ages. If you are looking for a family-friendly vacation to the Galapagos that adheres to your green ideals, check out Ecoventura, a cruise company that operates out of Ecuador and who offers itineraries, in a child-friendly environment, that will appeal to the child in all of us. Throughout the year Ecoventura sprinkles departures exclusively for families into its schedule.

By Ronit Epstein

The sprawling Amazon rainforest is alive with sights, sounds and movement that cannot be seen anywhere else on our beautiful planet. Bolivian Amazon covers 59.6 million hectares, and more than 11 percent of Bolivia is officially protected. Anyone visiting this beautiful region will experience some of the world’s most stunning, strange and wonderful wildlife, leaving memories that are difficult to beat.

By Phyllis Kaplan

Laos was once called the “the land of a million elephants,” currently there are less than 900 alive: 450 domestic and 400 wild. There are 2 births for every 10 deaths. Crunch the numbers. If this is not addressed, Laotian Asian elephants will be eradicated very soon.

By Anshul Srivastava

Try to envision a world without wildlife. Due to the number of animals becoming endangered because of killings, trading, loss of habitat, deforestation and disease, chances are this thought may turn into a reality. However, thanks to concrete steps undertaken by governmental bodies and various individual organizations, it has also become a possibility, like never before, to conserve wildlife and prevent mass extinction.

By J. Nichols

From the moment an egg is deposited in a sandy nest on a tropical beach, to the first time a baby turtle touches the sea, to decades later when she returns as an adult to lay her own eggs on very same beach, life is an endless series of life-and-death challenges for a sea turtle. Nature is stacked against survival, which is why a mother turtle lays thousands of eggs during her lifetime in order to simply replace herself.

By Brad Nahill

When many people hear the words “shark” and “tourism” in the same sentence, the first thing they think of is how to avoid them. Unfortunately these people are missing the opportunity to witness and learn about one of nature’s truly astounding creatures. While shark attacks are real and many movies and media outlets capitalize on this fear there are common sense ways to avoid danger and have a great experience while contributing to shark conservation efforts.

With Africa’s rhino and elephant poaching worsening by the year, Charlie Mayhew, founder and chief executive of conservation charity Tusk, says nations must pass tougher legislation or risk losing their prized wildlife. In early December, four black rhinos were found dead at the Lewa Wildlife Sanctuary in Kenya. They had been shot. The news was shocking: this was Africa’s most secure facility. Protected by 150 armed officers, it had gone from 1995, when it was founded, to 2010 without losing a single rhino.

By Paul Tavner

PAN Parks is an organisation dedicated to the preservation and protection of Europe’s wilderness spaces. Founded in 1997 as a joint venture between the WWF and the Dutch leisure company Molecaten, PAN Parks has today expanded to the point where it provides support for 11 distinct parks. Stretching from the frosty edge of the Arctic Circle to the warm waters of the Mediterranean, the PAN Parks network is now the perfect reflection of Europe’s incredibly diverse range of climates, habitats and geography.

By Brad Nahill

Tigers are one of the most charismatic and beautiful animals on earth. They are the world’s largest cat and can live across a wide range of habitats, from mountains to coastal wetlands. Most of the world’s tigers live in India among a number of national parks and tiger reserves but their numbers are decreasing rapidly. Tiger tourism has become a hot button issue in India, with the country’s recent Supreme Court decision to end a moratorium on tourism in these reserves.

By Jim Lutz

I think the right way to travel in the Galapagos is to think more broadly about the overall type of tourism you are supporting, rather than focusing exclusively on the self-described “green” or “sustainable” practices of any individual tour operator or hotel. The main consideration, in my mind, is keeping tourism small scale, non-intrusive, and nature-oriented. In practice, this means the best type of tour is with the smaller vessels that are licensed to operate live-aboard tours.