Taking photos is an essential part of the travel experience, and animals are often the main attraction when it comes to ecotourism. Many times, the most memorable moments of a vacation involve seeing exotic wildlife in their natural habitat – whether it's monkeys swinging through the trees above your rainforest bungalow, dolphins leaping out of the ocean, or a magnificently plumed tropical bird landing on a nearby branch. For me, it was watching a sea turtle glide serenely by while scuba diving off the coast of Roatán, Honduras. As he plucked a morsel of food from a coral reef, paying me no mind, I was keenly aware of how lucky I was to be a guest in his home.

As you appreciate the wildlife you encounter on your next trip, it's important to be conscientious of your impact on their behavior and habitat. Animals are notoriously difficult subjects to shoot, especially for the average traveler with a simple point-and-shoot camera. Unfortunately, that leads some tourists to engage in practices that can be harmful and disruptive to wildlife and/or their habitats. Here are some easy tips for taking fabulous AND responsible wildlife photos!

1) NEVER feed wild animals

It may seem like an easy solution to lure animals with food so that you can get a closer photo. However, feeding wild animals is a very harmful practice that interferes with their natural behavior and upsets the balance of their diet and lifestyle. Eating human food that is not normally a part of their diet can cause serious health problems. In addition, if they become used to receiving food from humans, it diminishes their natural skills for procuring food for themselves, and can also make them behave aggressively towards humans they see later. Sometimes animals will migrate to human-populated areas in search of an easy meal, where they become a nuisance to local people and are killed intentionally or accidentally, by cars, power lines, and other hazards. Reproductive rates can also spike when an artificial food source is available, which leads to a larger animal population than the area can naturally support. These are just a few of the reasons why you should never, ever feed wildlife.

2) Invest in extra memory storage

Animals are unpredictable, and you won't know how each photo really turned out until you look through them all later on a bigger screen than your camera's little LCD. Take way more photos than you think you need, especially if they're moving around – you'll have more luck capturing the instant they strike the perfect pose or the light hits them in the just right way. Invest in a memory card to expand your camera's storage capabilities so you don't have to worry about running out of memory while you're on a photo safari. A 16 GB memory card costs about $10 and will hold about 2,500 photos (on a 12 megapixel camera).

3) Get both close-ups and wide shots

Both close-ups and wide shots make for very interesting wildlife photos. For example, look at these two very different bird photos:

Close-ups show the animal's personality and the texture of their fur, scales, feathers, etc. If it's not safe or plausible to get very close, which is usually the case with larger animals, use your zoom. Wide shots show context, movement, and the animal's beautiful habitat. So much cooler than photos taken at the zoo!

4) Know when to go

Seasonal changes can affect when animals will be the most abundant, especially with migratory species such as sea turtles, whales, and certain birds. Do your research beforehand – find out which season your target animal will be in the area you are visiting. Remember to learn about the animal's daily behavior as well. Some animals only emerge from their hiding place at the crack of dawn, while others are most active at dusk or nighttime. Local people such as hotel staff or tour guides will be the best resource for this kind of information.

5) Don't forget the little guys

The most popular animals for ecotourists are usually the big, charismatic mammals like monkeys, colorful birds, and whales. However, some of the most beautiful and interesting photos are of the little guys we don't usually notice, such as insects and frogs. A magnificent photo just might be crawling about underfoot, so don't forget to crouch down and catch the world from a "smaller" perspective!

Did we miss any wildlife photography tips that have helped you on your past vacations? Leave a comment and let us know!

This entry was posted on January 29, 2013 at 3:47 PM and has received 1345 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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How would you like to walk in the forests of Nicaragua and Costa Rica and find a green iguana as impressive as the one in this photo taken by Detour, a Central American tour operator?

Detour organizes adventure trips in the forests, jungles, volcanoes, lakes and rivers of both countries, where it is common to find large populations of green iguanas.

Iguanas like to live in trees near the water. Morning is the best time to spot them, as they awake at dawn to find a place where they can bask in the sun. The energy they absorb from sunlight allows them to move about and find food! In the afternoons, after eating, they sunbathe again, and when it starts to get dark they look for a safe place to sleep.

This entry was posted on January 25, 2013 at 10:06 AM and has received 448 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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The city of Baños in the Tungurahua province of Ecuador has been declared the country's most accessible city and is promoted as an international tourist destination for tourists with disabilities. Alfonso Eliécer Morales is one of the people who have helped to make this possible.

Morales is an inspiring example of someone who has turned adversity into opportunity. Despite an accident that left him unable to walk since his youth, Morales has excelled as an athlete. He was on Ecuador's National Wheelchair Basketball Team in the 1989 Special Pan American Games and the National Team of Disabled Athletes in the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta. In 1995, he created and participated in the first tour of Ecuador in a wheelchair.

This fighter has lectured at nearly a dozen national and international events about disability and accessibility, particularly in the tourism industry. From 2005 to 2009, he served as a councilman for his community, during which he sought to promote sustainable rural tourism that is accessible to persons with disabilities. To this end, he opened Hostal Familiar Las Granadillas, a sustainable Rainforest Alliance Verified lodge that provides facilities for disabled tourists who enjoy adventure travel.

In this interview, Alfonso tells his story and the great work being done to promote the right of access and sustainable tourism.

Question: How did your accident occur?

Morales: I had an accident on the job 25 years ago, when I was almost 20 years old and working for a small construction company. I was driving a tractor when a nearby mountain collapsed and trapped me, fracturing a spinal vertebra.

Q: When did you decide to become an athlete?

M:During my childhood, I loved climbing trees, hiking to discover nature, and helping with daily tasks; I especially enjoyed being in the water and I excelled in swimming at my school. In 1990, three years after the accident and a painful rehabilitation process, I had finally gotten used to the wheelchair. So, I took part in and ended up winning the "Quito Latest News" track meet. This motivated me to participate in other national and international events. Sports helped me join in and overcome the constraints of my new lifestyle.

Q: Why did you decide to become a tourism entrepreneur?

M:Three years after the accident, I was feeling more independent in my daily life. I returned to my hometown of Iluchi, in Baños de Agua Santa, which has always been a popular tourist destination. My grandmother gave me a very nice, strategically located, and scenic piece of land in the community, and a few months later, a highway was built nearby. At that point I said, "This is where I will make my home and my lodge."

Q: How did you get the idea to build a hostel that is friendly for disabled people?

M: Here it is very hard to find lodging accessible to travelers with disabilities like mine--and those that do exist are four or five star hotels that are too costly for most of us. This motivated me to offer an alternative.

Q: How did your family and the community react to your plans?

M: Initially, they doubted that I could build this dream, mainly because of the financial investment that would be required. However, they knew it would be a success because of the setting, the landscape, and the location. We are in the countryside, but with only 20 minutes of walking we can get to and from the city. In the end, everyone helped me somehow.

Q: As a tourism entrepreneur pioneering this style of tourist lodging, what has your adventure been like?

M: It hasn't been easy. It was challenging to make contacts and publicize the community as a tourist destination – even though we are a tourist town, not all of its attractions have been well promoted. Gradually people have gotten to know us, and my own satisfied customers spread news about the project by word of mouth. It was also difficult to apply for one bank loan after another to complete the hostel. Fortunately, the project is seen as interesting and unique, and one with potential.

Q: What makes Hostal Familiar Las Granadillas special for the average tourist?

M: Our location is advantageous--we are in a rural area but very close to the city and surrounded by three tourist trails: Puente de San Francisco – Illuchi Alto – Las Antenas, Río Guambo – El Tablón – Montañita, and Illuchi Bajo – Puente de Sauces. We also have an exceptional view of the southern part of the city, Santa Rosa de Runtun mountain, the La Virgen waterfalls, the Mintza mountains, Tungurahua volcano with its occasional eruptions of ash or water vapor, the Pastaza River, the Callejón Andino Oriental (East Andes Alley), the mountains of Sauces, and the mountains of Pucara, among others.

In addition, our facilities are spacious; we have gardens, aquariums, and a small collection of antiques. But what makes us stand out is the personal attention we give our visitors, whom we see as members of our family.

Q: What are the main attractions of the Iluchi community?

M: Besides all the natural attractions that I mentioned, this community is very safe and the people are very friendly and unique in their traditions and solidarity. Illuchi is also a leader in organic farming and it is very close to the city. It has all the basic services thanks to the hard work of our community leaders, and the access road is well maintained.

Q: Why did you decide to adopt sustainable tourism practices and what are your main efforts in this area?

M: I grew up in the countryside, so I identify with tranquility and the natural environment, and I am aware that I must be part of its conservation and cause minimal impact with my business. The training and ongoing support of Rainforest Alliance encouraged me to become aware and to make more of a commitment.

For example, the tables, furnishings, and planters are made of wood that was left over from the building of our house. The wood used in our fireplace is a (non-traditional) eucalyptus species, or wood recycled from the greenhouses or the river. We use energy-saving light bulbs and fill the aquariums with rainwater. We light fireplaces with grease and oils recycled from the cafeteria. We recycle organic waste, plastic, and glass and use recycled pots as lamps, vases and flowerpots. We deliver recyclables to underprivileged people in the community so they can sell them and in return, they help us for half a day doing gardening.

We also hire local staff and buy food produced in the area. Our successful incentive plan called "Sweets or Fruits for Bottles" invites children of the community to bring in plastic bottles and empty glass jars, and in return, we give them a fruit or candy. Students from the community are allowed to use our wireless internet connection free of charge. Finally, we provide free lodging to people who provide training to our community.

Q: What message do you convey to people with disabilities and their families through your lectures and projects?

M: I try to convey my experiences very humbly so that people going through a similar situation know that nothing is impossible despite the difficulties; anything is possible if we know how to dream and work with faith and love for ourselves and others. Family is very important in this process, but mostly it has to do with willpower.

As part of this work, I developed a recreational tourism and independent life training plan for people with disabilities and their families. The program lasts from one week to three months and consists of activities related to creating an independent life and a little training in sustainability. The goal is to create citizens who are free, capable, aware, and interactive.

Q: What future plans do you have for your company?

M:We have many plans, particularly for expanding our space, providing better service every day and improving our processes for sustainability and the quality of life of my staff and customers.

This entry was posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:05 PM and has received 1039 views. There are currently 3 comments. Print this entry.

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How about taking a river trip, comfortably seated in a large inner tube? It's becoming increasingly popular with adventure tourists and is a really fun and widely available activity in most locations with major rivers.

This photo from Costa Rican Trails was taken in the rapids of Río Negro, near the famous Rincón de la Vieja volcano in the Northern Pacific region of Costa Rica.

To get on their tubes, tourists travel on horseback through the rainforest for 45 minutes, followed by a short hike to the Victoria waterfall, where the action begins!

This entry was posted on January 18, 2013 at 11:20 AM and has received 357 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Every year, the warm waters surrounding Baja California, Mexico provide a wonderful natural spectacle: the arrival of hundreds of impressive gray whales. These cetaceans measure up to 50 feet (15 m) long and weigh up to 40 tons. They make migrations of more than 12,400 miles (20,000 km) to escape the temperate waters of the Arctic Ocean, staying in the Mexican Pacific and the Sea of Cortez from mid-December to April.

Pleasant temperatures aren't the only draw -- nutrient-rich food sources are highly available, and they are safe from their main predators: orcas, sharks, and humans. In this ideal habitat, the gray whales court, mate, and reproduce, primarily in the lagoons of San Ignacio, Manuela, Guerrero Negro, and Ojo de Liebre. These important whale habitats are protected by the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, and Ojo de Liebre Lagoon was declared a gray whale sanctuary by the Mexican government.

Thousands of tourists travel each year to Baja California to see the newborn calves and adult gray whales, one of the most active and friendliest of the large whales. They are easily found in the waves of very shallow water, "spy-hopping" (popping up out of the water to take a look), showing their tail fin, and breaching.

There are many points along the bay that have boats for whale watching. Because whale tourism has grown so much and is so important to local economies, the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the Federal Attorney General for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) regulate these vessels, giving those who have met the approved operating standards an orange flag bearing a whale. So if you're planning on going whale watching in Baja California, be sure to look for the orange flag before booking with a boat tour!

These regulations determine, for example, the sites for whale watching, the minimum allowable distance that a vessel can be from a whale, and the type of approach; they also ban the entry of vessels into the lagoons. Thanks to this protection, gray whale spotting in Baja California has become a global example of sustainable tourism and the population of this species is stable.

While watching for gray whales, tourists can observe other marine species such as sea lions, dolphins, gannets, and pelicans. Along the coast, there are a number of beautiful beaches and small communities with many lodging options, and a range of other activities such as diving, fishing, and sailing. There are many large luxury hotels, mainly in the famed Los Cabos. Major attractions include the world's third largest dolphinarium in San Jose del Cabo.

Venture to admire the wonderful gray whales while getting to know the beauty of Baja California! Here are some sustainable businesses to check out while planning your stay:

• Casa Mexicana de la Ballena Gris
• Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa
• SEE Turtles Mexico
• RED Sustainable Travel
• Zoëtry Casa del Mar

This entry was posted on January 15, 2013 at 10:32 AM and has received 696 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

Our Making a Difference award winner this month is Los Cardones Surf Ecolodge, a laid-back beachfront hotel on Nicaragua's Pacific coast. Los Cardones has three stilted bungalows, five cabañas, and a restaurant serving fresh, local food right on the beach. Owner Anne Laure Sitton has taken a particular interest in protecting the sea turtles that come to nest on their beach and in developing community education projects -- and she encourages guests to participate in these efforts as well. We spoke with Anne Laure about Los Cardones and the unique guest experience the lodge provides.

Q. What makes your location, Playa Los Cardones, special?

Sitton: Playa Los Cardones is a pristine beach with preserved coastal dry tropical forest and mangroves. Guests can see caimans, iguanas, migratory and local birds, and small mammals. We also have four species of sea turtles that nest on our beaches: olive ridley, leatherback, hawksbill, and green.

Q. Your hotel has its own program for conserving sea turtles. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

S: Poachers used to steal eggs from the nests and sell them on the black market. So in 2001, we started relocating sea turtle nests from the beach to our property in order to prevent the poachers from getting to them. Fauna & Flora International (FFI) has since trained some of our staff members on sea turtle nursery management. We collect data on the mothers and hatchlings and take note of any occurrences that might be of biological interest to enrich FFI's national database. More than 7,000 hatchlings have been cared for in our nursery in the past ten years.

Guests can get involved by helping us patrol the beaches at night to look for nesting sea turtles and release hatchlings into the ocean. They can also participate in the sea turtle programs that we run at local schools and raise awareness of our activities in their own communities, as well as make donations to support our programs.

Q. What about your community education program? Can guests get involved with that, too?

S: Guests can join us on our weekly visits to the schools, during which we lend books from our mobile library and offer educational activities on varied themes, such as the environment, the arts, sports, English, science, health, careers, and crafts. Guests with special skills are invited to share those with the students, such as playing an instrument, yoga, and teaching English.

Q. Do you have any other noteworthy sustainability initiatives you'd like to share?

S: We have been reforesting as much as we can, both in the lodge area and in another property of ours. Our lodge is run exclusively on solar power and our water is supplied by our own well that is fitted with a mechanical pump and a gravity tank. Gray water is recycled through a network of perforated pipes that irrigates our gardens. In addition, all organic waste is recycled onsite by thermophilic composting.

Q. Why is sustainability so important for your hotel? S: We want our lives and work to be meaningful, and to participate in making the world a better place.

Looking for a relaxing vacation that benefits local communities and wildlife? Stay at Los Cardones! More information about Los Cardones Surf Ecolodge is available on their SustainableTrip profile.

This entry was posted on January 9, 2013 at 11:34 AM and has received 523 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

A guest blog post written by Brad Nahill, Executive Director of SEE Turtles

I've spent a fair amount of time hiking in the jungle, but almost never at night and definitely never at this pace. Four of us were moving quickly through the rainforest, hurrying to the sea turtle nesting beach at the end of the trail in the hopes of arriving in time to put a satellite transmitter on a green sea turtle (also known as a black turtle). The rumble of far-off thunder faded into the sound of crashing waves as we crested a hill near the end of the trail.

My journey had started in the city of Managua several days earlier, where I was picked up by Liza Gonzalez. Liza is the Country Director of Paso Pacifico, an innovative conservation organization focused on protecting the Paso del Istmo, an incredibly beautiful 12-mile stretch of land between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean, whose coastline is home to critically important sea turtle nesting beaches. I can't imagine a better guide than Liza, who intimately knows the region and its residents. She's held lofty positions in the government (formerly director of the National Protected Areas System), but her passion for spending time in the field and with the people who depend on natural resources was obvious.

On the way to La Flor Wildlife Refuge, located in the southwestern corner of Nicaragua on the Pacific coast, we made a quick stop in Granada, a beautiful colonial town on the edge of Lake Nicaragua. Strolling through the market in front of the dramatic cathedral, I found more hawksbill turtle jewelry for sale than any other place I've been in Latin America. Travelers, please beware of turtle shell jewelry; purchasing these items contributes to the destruction of this endangered species and it is illegal to bring them into the US.

As we headed south, the view from the car gradually changed from open pastureland to lush forests. We passed through San Juan del Sur, a growing tourist destination that is the main stopping point for backpackers in this area. We saw beautiful nature murals on local schools, ate at a restaurant supported by Paso Pacifico, and passed areas benefiting from their reforestation work. The organization's impact is visible almost everywhere you go in this region.

When we arrived at Ostional Beach, I was stunned by the dramatic view. The rolling rocky Pacific coast of Nicaragua stretching to northern Costa Rica spans the entire horizon, giving the impression of a huge bay. After nightfall, the only visible lights were bright stars and the far off resort area of Papagayo, Costa Rica.

Moving north along the coast of the wildlife refuge, we stopped in front of La Flor Beach, one of a handful of beaches in the world that hosts the arribada, a spectacular nesting event of olive ridley sea turtles, during which thousands of females come ashore simultaneously and lay about 100 eggs each. We took a boat into the water, and my years of habitual silence around turtles went right out the window as I let out an excited yell when a small head popped up not far from our boat. The turtle heard me and dived back down into the water, but there were plenty more bobbing around!

That evening, we hiked quickly to Brasilon Beach, hoping to arrive in time to put a satellite transmitter on a nesting green turtle. This beach is one of several turtle nesting beaches along this stretch of coast protected by Paso Pacifico. When we checked in with the rangers, they told us that the female green turtle they had hoped to tag wasn't suitable for a transmitter because her shell was too thin. But before we released her back into the ocean, we collected some data and let her go on her way. The next day, we visited La Flor beach for the second time, where a relatively small arribada of roughly 1,000 turtles had happened just three days earlier. (At its peak, La Flor can host up to 50,000 turtles.) With so many nesting turtles, it's a challenge for the refuge's rangers to protect nests from poachers who sell turtle eggs on the black market.

A short drive took us to a charming new small hotel owned by local residents. The hotel is participating in Paso Pacifico's reforestation program and hosts a nursery for native trees used throughout the region. Nicaragua has been hard hit by deforestation, but Paso Pacifico's award-winning program has helped restore more than 1,000 acres of rainforest. This inspirational project not only recovers wildlife habitat, but also helps to create jobs, absorb carbon in the air, and prevent erosion and flooding.

The idyllic 12-mile stretch of the "Paso del Istmo" is truly unforgettable. Sandy beaches are lined by tropical forests; monkeys, sea turtles, and colorful tropical birds abound. It is a paradise for wildlife, and thus for ecotourists. It is a place worth visiting -- and, more importantly, a place worth protecting. Scientists and nonprofit organizations like Paso Pacifico are working hard to keep endangered animals and their habitats from disappearing, and you can be a part of their efforts. SEE Turtles connects travelers with sea turtle conservation projects, so you can travel to Nicaragua to help conserve these amazing creatures while enjoying one of the world's most beautiful places.

More ways to get involved:

SEE Turtles: Turtle Vacations in Costa Rica

SEE Turtles: Turtle Vacations in Mexico

SEEtheWILD Nicaragua Wildlife Vacations

Bio:
Brad Nahill is a wildlife conservationist, writer, activist, and fundraiser. He is the Director & Co-Founder of SEEtheWILD, the world's first non-profit wildlife conservation travel website. To date, we have generated more than $300,000 for wildlife conservation and local communities and our volunteers have completed more than 1,000 work shifts at sea turtle conservation project. SEEtheWILD is a project of The Ocean Foundation. Follow SEEtheWILD on Facebook or Twitter.

This entry was posted on January 3, 2013 at 5:29 PM and has received 708 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.