The Prickly Pears of the Galapagos
If you — like me — live in Canada, you might think of the prickly pear cactus as a scruffy, low-growing cluster of flat, spiny pads. In the Galapagos, though, these so-called Opuntia cacti take on wholly different forms. This is a Plains prickly pear cactus, native to Canada, usually found in prairie and grassland […]
A Hummingbird Haven: All That Glitters and Shimmers in the Tropical Andes
There are few groups of birds that captivate people so completely as the hummingbirds. Those diminutive but dazzling nectar-eaters are hard to ignore, and whether you’re a birder or not, chances are that you’re a fan. Hummingbirds are a specialty of the Americas, with all the world’s species occurring somewhere between southern Alaska and Patagonia. […]
The Todies
Many people vacation in the Caribbean for white sand beaches and sparkling blue water. I’ve never understood that. Sure, it’s pretty on a postcard, but the beach bum life just isn’t for me. You can keep your chaise lounges and cocktails in coconuts because if I’m in the Caribbean, you’d better believe I’m birding. The […]
Anteaters Great and Small
You may have heard that ants are among the most abundant animals on Earth, but just how many are there? Fortunately, you can put your magnifying glass and calculator away, because in 2022 a team of scientists put their heads together to answer that very question. By their estimations, the ant population of our planet […]
From Prison to Preservation: The Natural History of Coiba National Park
Just as Ecuador has the Galapagos — an islands-based national park off its Pacific coast — Panama has Coiba. The islands of Coiba National Park lie just tens of kilometres from the Panamanian mainland, but they feel a world apart. The park is a paradise for nature lovers, with incredible wildlife and ecosystems both on […]
Walking Through History at the Grand Egyptian Museum
What a privilege it was to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum on a private journey during its inaugural weeks open to the public. This long-awaited marvel far exceeded expectations, but then again, Ancient Egypt always does. It comes as no surprise that this magnificent museum defies all expectations. As guests in the earliest days of […]
Central America’s Unofficial Welcome Party: the Howler Monkeys
Nothing quite reminds you that you’ve arrived in Central America like waking up to a rousing chorus of howler monkeys. These boisterous primates like to start the day early, and they have no qualms about taking you along for the ride. The howling of a howler monkey, though, is more than just an unwanted alarm […]
