Is it Safe to Volunteer in Ecuador During the Protests?
Ecuador's numerous indigenous nationalities are very unhappy with the current government at the moment and are going through their second major set of protests in the last couple of months. In the last set of protests I was asked
Will They Drill in Yasuni National Park?
The world media are reporting that the government secured a $117 Million downpayment (well over the 100 million needed) before December 31st 2011 to protect Yasuni National Park from being drilled for oil. Firstly this is fantastic news
Frogs in Amazon Rainforest
Frogs are like Canaries in a Coal Mine. Their extremely sensitive skin which they use to breath and absorb moisture means they are the first creatures to start croaking (ie. asphyxiating to death) due to pollutants in their habitat. So
Yasuni ITT Initiative
Here is a translation of an interview with Roque Sevilla, the ex-president of the Yasuni ITT Commission who also helped draw up the borders of Yasuni National Park 32 years ago and. The Yasuni ITT initiative is a project that aims
Tribes of the Amazon
There are many ethnically distinct tribes in the Amazon Rainforest. Of these indigenous groups Ecuador has some of the most interesting that have fascinated anthropologists for decades for of their practice of Shamanism and Shrinking Heads. The three
Volunteering in the Amazon Rainforest
Here is what Caroline Ely from the UK fthinks about her time volunteering in the Amazon at the Animal Rescue Center - But first the shortened version: "After finishing my 6 month travels through all of South America this
The Sounds of Latin America (Part 1)
Here are a few songs that embody the beautiful and diverse styles of music from Latin America. You will no doubt hear many of them once you arrive but for those among us that are impatient and prefer to
Finns Experience in the Amazon Animal Sanctuary
Finn from the Netherlands just finished his time volunteering in the Amazon Rescue Center and this is what he has to say about his time there: It is, indeed, a challenge to write a unique entry about the time I had.
Inspiring TED Talk – Reforesting the Rainforest
I just finished watching an amazing talk on one of my favorite websites TED.com. TED stands for Technology, Education, and Design and shows talks from leading thinkers, scientists, and activists from around the world who have "ideas worth sharing"
Rich Helping the Poor to Save Ecuadorian Amazon
Its been an interesting week in the news; first came the announcement that Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, the two richest men in America who have already given over half their money to philanthropy (notably the Bill and Melinda Gates