ZECO TRAVEL TALK

More sad news for the Albatross was reported this week in the Telegraph newspaper in a piece titled: Thousands of sea birds killed by fishing trawlers. Fishing vessels remain the most significant threat to the world’s albatross - 18 of which are facing extinction. Birdlife International, a global partnership of conservation organizations that strive to conserve birds and their habitats, is tirelessly working towards implementing international agreements to improve waste management on fishing vessels and require the use of devices that prevent bird strikes on warp cables. Once implemented, these agreements will ultimately benefit both the birds and the legal fishing industry.

Since 1992, Zegrahm Expeditions cofounder, Peter Harrison has been sharing his profound love for Albatross on voyages around the globe and masterfully using the opportunity to educate travelers on the plight of the albatross and the work being done to save them from extinction.

Peter shares his knowledge and passion for seabirds in a highly educational and often thoroughly entertaining way. Over the years, his efforts have led to loyal support for BirdLife’s Save the Albatross Campaign with contributions totaling almost $250, 000 to date.

In late 2008, travelers can once again join Peter on one of two voyages that will draw attention to Albatross in their natural environments on the Southern Oceans, Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands and New Zealand & its Sub-Antarctic Islands expeditions. I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled and honored I feel to be among them!

A much-revered Galapagos Islands resident, the giant tortoise “Lonesome George” was thought to be the last of his kind. That this conservation icon might soon produce offspring has created as much buzz in the naturalist world as Brad and Angelina’s offspring have in Hollywood. The importance of the impending event reaches back to Charles Darwin who was the first to notice distinctions among tortoises from different islands in the Galápagos, further advancing his theory of evolution.

Found in 1972 on Pinta island, George is estimated to be in his 70s—middle age for a giant tortoise. The Galapagos National Park recently announced that a female tortoise, keeping company with George since 1993, has laid three intact eggs presently being cared for in an artificial incubator. The female belongs to the closest existing phenotype to that of George. It will take about four months to know precisely whether the eggs bear George’s offspring. Considered by many to be the world’s rarest creature, George has given us new hope!