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TRAVEL TIPS
[This column was written in October 2002 for a Polish aquarium hobby magazine -- Magazyn Akwarium]
Traveling in a tropical country can be quite an adventure. I prefer to
plan transportation and accommodations well ahead of time because
"winging it" in some countries can be difficult especially if your time
is limited and language barriers exist. I generally use a travel agent
who knows exotic "nature" travel well. A good way find such a
knowledgeable agent is to speak with people who have visited places you
are interested in seeing. You can also look on the internet -- though
it can be difficult the gauge the quality of an agent based on a web
site. Occasionally it may be possible to join a group of researchers
traveling/working in some far flung location. I have been lucky to work
at research stations in the Amazon, Borneo, Costa Rica, and Madagascar.
Do your research before you embark on a trip. Learn about local customs
and taboos and be respectful of cultural differences. It always helps
to learn some phrases in the language especially if you are going to be
working with a local guide. A good local guide can make or break a
trip. Guides are easy-to-find -- knowledgeable guides are not. Ask
fellow travelers, knowledgeable travel agents, and people who've made
the trip before for guide recommendations. Sometimes travel books can
offer insight on finding a good guide.
When traveling in a tropical country it is important to stay calm, cool,
and flexible in all situations. Always be aware of your surroundings
and avoid standing out (which makes you an easier target for crime).
Always be ready for the unexpected -- if something can go wrong it often
will. Be patient for the inevitable delays and hassles that are a part
of traveling in many countries. Remember that when dealing with customs
agents and bureaucrats that a smile and well placed "tip" can go a long
way in solving "problems."
Keep a positive attitude and an open mind, while remembering that
sometimes the best experiences on a trip are the unexpected. Most of
all, enjoy your travels.
Author throwing a net in Borneo.
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Recent news
Atlantic sturgeon gains protection under the Endangered Species Act
(02/01/2012)
The U.S. federal government has listed the massive and bizarre Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) under the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Historically overfishing decimated the Atlantic sturgeon, while on-going threats include pollution and infrastructure, like dams and bridges that destroy habitat. Fishing for the Atlantic sturgeon has been banned since 1998, they are still caught as bycatch.
Photos: 46 new species found in little-explored Amazonian nation
(01/25/2012)
South America's tiniest independent nation still hides a number of big surprises: a three week survey to the sourthern rainforests of Suriname found 46 potentially new species and recorded nearly 1,300 species in all. Undertaken by Conservation International's (CI) Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) the survey found new species of freshwater fish, insects, and a new frog dubbed the "cowboy frog" for the spur on its heel. While Suriname may be small, much of its forest, in the Guyana Shield region of the Amazon, remains intact and pristine. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 91 percent of Suriname is covered in primary forests, however this data has not been updated in over two decades.
Featured video: tuna industry bycatch includes sea turtles, dolphins, whales
(01/16/2012)
A Greenpeace video, using footage from a whistleblower, shows disturbing images of the tuna industry operating in the unregulated waters of the Pacific Ocean. Using fish aggregation devices (FADs) and purse seine nets, the industry is not only able to catch entire schools of tuna, including juvenile, but also whatever else is in the area of the net.
Bycatch-reducing fish trap wins $20,000
(01/11/2012)
An innovative fish trap that allows small non-target fish to escape won a new content by RARE Conservation and National Geographic to fund solutions to overfishing. Developed through studies in Curaçao and Kenya with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the trap has gaps for juvenile fish to swim out of reportedly reducing bycatch by 80 percent. The entry won a $20,000 grant.
World's most expensive tuna
(01/05/2012)
A 593 pound Pacific bluefin tuna sold for $735,000 (56.49 million yen) in Tokyo's Tsukiji market today. This beats the previous record price hit last year by over $260,000. Why so expensive? Bluefin tuna, considered the best sashimi and sushi in the world, have been fished to near extinction with the population of the Pacific bluefin the most stable to date.
Top 10 Environmental Stories of 2011
(12/22/2011)
Many of 2011's most dramatic stories on environmental issues came from people taking to the streets. With governments and corporations slow to tackle massive environmental problems, people have begun to assert themselves. Victories were seen on four continents: in Bolivia a draconian response to protestors embarrassed the government, causing them to drop plans to build a road through Tipnis, an indigenous Amazonian reserve; in Myanmar, a nation not known for bowing to public demands, large protests pushed the government to cancel a massive Chinese hydroelectric project; in Borneo a three-year struggle to stop the construction of a coal plant on the coast of the Coral Triangle ended in victory for activists; in Britain plans to privatize forests created such a public outcry that the government not only pulled back but also apologized; and in the U.S. civil disobedience and massive marches pressured the Obama Administration to delay a decision on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring tar sands from Canada to a global market.
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