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 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 Jessica Frei

Bandhavgarh National Park, nestled in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh in Central India, is a popular destination whose assortment of wildlife and scenic beauty lures sightseers to the park. A wildlife viewing trip to Bandhavgarh National Park is surely a stress buster for folks bored with frenzied daily routines, providing the chance to uncover the real, energetic side of life.

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.

By Angie Aspinall

Our main reason for visiting Mauritius was to learn about the nature conservation being carried out on the island. It was, therefore, with a great deal of excitement that we learned we had been granted special permission to visit the conservation areas of the Frederica Nature Reserve in Bel Ombre: areas which are not open to tourists, but are the preserve of conservationists – and rare bird species.