BEAVERTON, USA (February 2011 / Ecotourism-Newswire.com) -- Dreaming of tracking a tiger in its natural habitat? Want to snorkel with sea turtles or protect penguins? SEEtheWILD.org is the first responsible adventure travel website that invites travelers to vacation with their favorite wild animals and help save them in the process. Trips booked through SEEtheWILD directly fund efforts to protect endangered species.
Today, many people are looking for more meaningful experiences than standard package tours or fun in the sun getaways. SEEtheWILD helps vacationers find and book trips that appeal to their interests while treading lightly on the earth. Immersed in the exotic habitats of endangered species including bears, lions, penguins, sea turtles, sharks and whales, the guided tours educate travelers on animals’ natural histories and threats.
“SEEtheWILD works with conservation organizations to bring people to field projects where their visits will generate income for both the projects and local communities,” said co-founder Brad Nahill. “We offer rewarding options for many types of travelers, whether they're looking for hands-on volunteer trips, adventure eco tours, or a little of both. Through it all, we make conservation trip planning simple and fun."
Focusing on locally-owned establishments, the website features accommodations for a range of comfort levels from rainforest camping to stays in five-star eco-resorts. In addition, SEEtheWILD recommends trips catered to the visitor’s destination, budget, travel style and animal interests.
Innovative Approach
“SEEtheWILD’s model creates income for both wildlife protection efforts and the communities sharing the land and sea with the animals,” noted James Dion, National Geographic Society business development associate. “Contributing a higher percentage of revenue to animal conservation projects than the norm, this new service comes at a time when interest in eco-friendly international travel is resurging and online travel planning is at an all-time high.”
An extensive screening process ensures that all SEEtheWILD operators follow environmental guidelines, provide monetary support to conservation programs, educate travelers and use local guides and businesses. Initial partners include tour operators Wildland Adventures, Maple Leaf Adventures, Reefs to Rockies, Geographic Expeditions and volunteer organization Earthwatch Institute.
About SEEtheWILD
SEEtheWILD offers meaningful adventure vacations that help protect endangered species across the globe. After three years of successful conservation tourism projects focused on protecting sea turtles through SEETurtles.org, Dr. Wallace J. Nichols and Brad Nahill formed SEEtheWILD to support a wider variety of destinations and endangered species, including bears, birds, wild cats, whales, sharks and sea turtles. Since 2008, SEE Turtles has generated more than $200,000 for local turtle conservation programs in Costa Rica, Baja Mexico and Trinidad. SEEtheWILD and SEE Turtles are non-profit projects of the Ocean Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.seethewild.org.
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Note to Editors: High-resolution photos and follow-up interviews available upon request. For a PDF version of this release, please visit http://www.seethewild.org/files/137.pdf.
Contacts:
Brad Nahill, Co-Founder & Director
brad@SEEturtles.org
+1 (503) 608 9679
Michael McColl, spokesperson
michael@mccoll.net
+1 (510) 451 0267
