Saving The Elephants In Northern Thailand’s Sanctuaries

Asia, Asia Pacific, Travel

Long before British colonists arrived in Burma in 1824, the hill tribes of Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand domesticated more than six million elephants, transforming the largest land animal into a beast of burden. They pulled heavy teakwood logs from the forests of the upper Salween River, raised great stones to build ancient cities like Bagan, and led warrior kings into battle against rival Asian powers. Thankfully, elephants don’t have to do that anymore. But history has done irreparable harm to the Asian elephant population. Whereas the wild population was once estimated to have been more than 100,000, it is now less than 50,000 across 13 countries, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Today, about 15,000 are in captivity, with the greatest number of those in northern Thailand. Read More

dancers

Cairns: Where Ocean and Forest Meet

Asia Pacific, Travel

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. It incorporates more than 400 types of coral and is home to thousands of sea creatures. A Matisse paint box gone mad, among the profusion of yellow sponges and swaying green sea grass are splashes of pink, red and purple. Small schools of blue tang and pink-hued parrot fish dart about. But large stretches of this coral are white, the bleached skeletal remains of a once vital organism.

Octantis weather

Great Lakes Cruise Lets Passengers Become Scientists

Asia Pacific, Business, Culture, Europe, Travel

A chilly breeze blowing across the Great Lakes separating the U.S. from Canada greeted passengers as they climbed to the top deck of the cruise ship. From the far end of the boat, three figures holding aloft an enormous helium-filled weather balloon began moving toward the gathering in an awkward six-legged parade. Expedition cruises featuring adventurous activities and exotic destinations, such as the Antarctic and the Galapagos Islands, are increasingly popular with families desiring a learning experience. The Viking Octantis, a 380-passenger vessel built to be part cruise ship and part scientific research platform, includes a laboratory and its very own submarines. The goal, says a marine scientist on the Viking staff, “is to do rigorous science that will be credible in academia and allow guests to participate.”