Rising tourism posing threat to Antarctica's eco-system

Antarctica, the white continent is at the top of the dream holiday hit list of travelers. There is a huge rise in visitors with numbers reported to increase further in the future. The number has risen by 14 percent to more than 37,000 over the last season.

To discuss about the problems and find possible solutions to protect eco-system of Antarctica, a two week international consultative meeting on Antarctic Treaty took place in New Daily. It warned that proper regulation of tourism was vital to protect the fragile eco-system of Antarctica. The meeting was attended by nearly 300 delegates including scientists from 37 nations and organizations.

Various measures were proposed to protect the eco-system of Antarctica. First, it was said that the authorization to tour operators to land the ships that carry more than 500 passengers should be discouraged. It was also said that a check should be kept on tourist vessels at landing sites, there should not be more than one vessel at a time.

Environmentalists say that global warming is leading to loss of ice shelves on the continent’s coast and scientists are of the view that a boom in tourism is putting pressure on the region. Whatever be the reason, the fact is that Antarctica’s fragile eco-system is under threat.

Antarctica has opened up to tourism and it would be difficult to close the door, but operators can take a responsible stand, more than lip-service, and help restore the region’s beauty.

Eilean Shona: A Luxurious eco break in Argyll

Eilean Shona, near Archaracle, Argyll, is a tiny gem of an island, privately-owned by Vanessa Branson, fabulously set at the entrance to Loch Moidart on the spectacular West Coast of Scotland between the Islands of Mull and Skye.


Only 2 miles long by 1.5 miles wide, completely unspoilt, with no cars or bikes, it is a natural haven for wildlife, plants, and many rare trees brought from distant parts of the world . Total relaxation in a green environment is the order of the day.


The five-minute ferry ride to Eilean Shona seems to take you back about 100 years. It has no cars, no shops, and no television; instead, you walk through moss-covered woods, chase waves on the bone-white beach and spot otters and red squirrels.


The sturdy grey stone house was built in the late 18th century; this is where JM Barrie wrote Peter Pan. The house oozes style with its artwork, bought and commissioned by the owners. Inside, the design is eclectic but cosy - one bed’s made from driftwood.

Zip-wires in Costa Rica rainforests: Eco tourism or Eco endangerment

Is Costa Rica in essence an Eco destination? The use of Zip wires in rainforest’s is just for fun and not really to view wild life. All the noise of metal slithering down the wire disturbs the animals. In such a scenario, walking trails in the forest remain a much better option.


Monteverde, is now the most popular place in the country to experience a cloud-forest habitat, one of only 12 true primary rain forests in the world, with areas of forest that have never been cut down.

It is also the location of the Children’s Eternal Forest, a 22,000-hectare reserve saved from loggers in the late 1980s when thousands of schoolchildren across the world were moved to save their pocket money and raise funds to buy it collectively.


Today it bars tourists, except along a solitary trail. No wonder it remains green.


Another popular destination is the active Arenal volcano that forms the centre of attention wherever you are in the town or surrounding countryside. Behind the perfect cone-shaped volcano spitting molten ash down its sides is a huge man-made lake - the largest in the country - which is said to offer some of the best windsurfing in Central America, and good fishing, too.

Arenal volcano and man made lake

Just by the hydroelectric dam that formed the lake is a network of hanging bridges that allow tourists to walk through the rainforest canopy. In addition, dotted around this geothermal land are a number of hot spring

These attractions combined draw half the tourists to Costa Rica. More and more farmers are switching to tourism as they take loans to build eco lodges. Even they realize that getting truckloads of tourists is not the answer, unlike big concerns that fund tourism of the zip wire kind.

Broadly, “ecotourism” has come to include not only the preservation of wildlife habitats visited by tourists, but also their human cohabitants. Nevertheless, should tourists be allowed to access some of the most extreme and sensitive wildlife habitats on the planet?

Would it not be better if such places were restricted to all but a few scientists and indigenous communities in order to better protect them?



The need is to stop promoting mass tourism and get fewer tourists who pay more. New rules in line with the same need to be put into place.

Tiamo Resorts: Model for low impact Caribbean tourism

This Eco resort promises luxury along with the best in sustainable tourism. If you come here, you can hope to lounge on cozy wicker couches set beneath ceiling fans, sipping icy cocktails with the sugary white-sand beach just 50 yards away.


Location: SECLUDED BEACH; the resort is tucked inside South Bight, one of the tidal ‘creeks’ that slice through the 2,300-square-mile island of Andros in the Bahamas.

North of Andros Island, Image credit: Megacaptain

Surrounded by both inland and oceanic blue holes with the world’s third-longest reef system just to the east and endless bonefish flats and mangrove forests stretching away to the west, north and south, the site for the resort is perfect! King the Resident Iguana at Tiamo,Image credit: Stuart Robertson

For various nature trips the resort offers ‘nature concierges,’ all of whom are biologists. Mangrove maze makes up much of Andros inside which at a place called millers creek the eco tour goes.

Bises, herons and a belted kingfisher can be seen above the wetland while sea turtles and tarpon are in the waters.

Belted Kingfisher, Image credit

Andros’ famed bonefish dug for prey in the flat’s sandy bottom, their silver tails up and wagging. Andros has been most popular with Fly fishermen from around the world who come here to match their skills against the wily bonefish.

Fly fishing in the Bahamas(not tghat i recommend fishing of any sort), Image credit: bovinacowboy

Another destination worth a visit is the Crack, part of a 93-mile fracture that connects the world’s longest string of blue holes, those bewitching sapphire blue eyes that stare up from both land and sea all around Andros and serve as watery entrances to its subterranean wonderland of caves. They are the calling eyes for spirited deep cave divers.

Fish Around a Blue Hole, Ikmage credit: Alex MacPherson

Sustainable construction of the resort: The resort buildings do not hinder these endowments of nature rather compliment them.

The Dock at Tiamo, Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Construction was planned to minimize environmental impact and maximize cooling airflow. The building sites were cleared by hand and not heavy machinery using machetes and chain saws instead of bulldozers.

The Beach at Tiamo, Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Clearing by hand meant that they removed exactly the amount of trees and plants necessary to build the bungalows and the lodge, which were all cleverly sited so they are invisible from the water. All building materials was brought in by small boat, keeping the pristine snorkeling sites pure. nature resort is 100 percent solar powered.

View from the Bungalow at Tiamo, Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Apart from snorkeling, diving, bone fishing( though I would not recommend that) sailing and kayaking can offer adventure in this beautiful place.

Preparing to go Sailing at Tiamo, Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Getting there: After a flight to Nassau, you take a 20-minute plane trip to Congotown, South Andros, where the Tiamo’s driver meets you. Then follows a ten-minute drive to Driggs Hill, from where you board a boat to the resort.

Tiamo resort A perfect spot for lazy indulgence in the lap of nature! Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Mammoth dung, prehistoric goo may trigger global warming, thanks to thawing permafrost

ce thawing at the poles has been a big concern for scientists especially for the last decade - considering it a serious symptom of global warming, leaving the coastal regions at the risk of sinking under the seas and the polar animals’ going extinct.

But, the earth is actually ‘doubly suffering’ from global warming threats with the thawing of permafrost - thanks to the dramatic climate change activities.

It is the re-exposure of the mammoth dung and prehistoric goo to the air that may accelerate global warming faster than even assumed! — these being ‘organic matter’.

It was for millennia, these layers of animal waste and other organic matter have been left behind by the prehistoric creatures that romped the Arctic tundra, but were sealed inside the frozen permafrost.

But, with the changing climate, the most-happening thawing of the permafrost is leaving the prehistoric organic goo and dung exposed to air with its dormant-microbes springing back to action! - eventually adding to the already-dreading ‘carbon dioxide emissions’ and even methane gas — the even more damaging ingredient.

Thus, it seems, besides the already defined accelerators of global warming — the thought of whose devastative actions already send a chill down the spine — there are many more factors that are actually adding on to the planet’s aliment and may eventually push it to the point of no return.