By Jason G. Goldman One of the best places in the world to see whales in their natural habitat is in Latin America. The waters around the continent include some 64 species of whales and dolphins: about three-quarters of the planet's total cetacean biodiversity. That might explain why whale watching tourism has grown around 11% each year there, a rate that three times the annual growth of global tourism and...
By Jason G. Goldman Humpback whales can be found throughout the world's oceans, from the iciest waters of Antarctica, to the balmy seas surrounding Hawaii, and everywhere in between. While the males are best known for their soulful songs that can be heard perhaps hundreds of miles away, the concert singers of the sea are also responsible for some of the longest migrations in the world. The whales gorge on...
Since the beginning of the pandemic, news outlets have reported on investigators’ efforts to pinpoint the “ground zero” of the COVID-19 virus. The question seemingly not under media scrutiny, however, is how we may be able to prevent such outbreaks of disease from occurring in the future. Although many think of vaccines as the best way to prevent disease, the best preventive medicine may in fact be maintaining tropical rainforest...
The Pacific leatherback sea turtle has survived since the dinosaur age—and as the largest turtle species, this reptile is a giant in its own right. Yet today, these turtles are in imminent danger of extinction, in part because of declining numbers of viable nests. In Indonesia, which is the primary nesting habitat for the Western Pacific leatherback sea turtles, numbers have dropped by over 80%. In Mexico and Central America,...
The yellow-naped amazon parrot (also known as the golden-naped amazon) is a strikingly beautiful and intelligent bird widely considered a subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon parrot. It is predominantly native to forests, woodlands, and tropical zones in Pacific coast regions from southern Mexico to northern Costa Rica. Unfortunately, these parrots are also currently endangered, largely by deforestation and the illegal pet trade. Here’s what you need to know about the...
After millennia of industrialization and ecologically harmful practices, the planet has now reached an advanced state of environmental deterioration. Among the most significant problems are global warming, deforestation, species extinction, and climate change. The best path to mitigating or reversing these problems is through effective education for adults and children. In particular, teaching kids about our planet will equip them to better preserve the earth throughout their lives and for...
Bird populations in Central American countries include a wide variety of migratory species. Migratory birds make up around 25% of Costa Rica's avifauna and almost 50% of El Salvador's. Some travel as far as South and North America. Migratory birds are an important natural resource because they contribute to biodiversity across the Americas, particularly with regard to the pollination of flowers, seed dispersal, and pest control that they provide. All...
Donors like you are the backbone of Paso Pacifico. Without you, none of Paso Pacifico’s work would be possible. We wanted to start off the year right by thanking you and reviewing some of the year’s accomplishments. January: A record number of Junior Rangers were enrolled in the Junior Ranger program (160), and our team and communities celebrated the 7th annual Christmas bird count. February: Scientific American featured the InvestEGGator,...
Estamos muy emocionados de compartir las siguientes imágenes de una celebración realizada para honrar a los ganadores del primer Festival de Loros. Los Junior Rangers participaron en tres categorías diferentes: dibujó, historietas y meme. Los ganadores de las tres categorías recibieron un certificado para celebrar su logro. Los ganadores del concurso también fueron premiados con una botella reutilizable y una gorra con un logo personalizado. Para leer sobre los ganadores...
Paso Pacifico rangers closed out a period of migratory bird activities by hosting a 'Festival of Kites' for kids in Sapoa and Ostional with the motto "sing, fly and soar like birds." In this activity, the children used their imaginations and crafting skills to use the kite as a metaphor. The kites represented the beautiful migratory birds that fly long distances to reach Central America during the winter. The children...
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