Jane Goodall Institute Belgium’s Post

Icebergs have more in common with Instagram than you might expect. With both, what you see is only 10 per cent of what’s really there. For every towering wall of blue-tinged ice, every Viennetta-slab of pristine, swirly white, every pebble-dashed shard scraped from the base of a glacier floating on top of the frigid waters, there’s a far larger monolith, lurking beneath the surface. Greenland, the vast island with two-thirds of its landmass above the Arctic Circle, is one of the very best places in the world to see icebergs. Head to the Ilulissat Icefjord – a Unesco world heritage site on the country’s crenellated west coast – and you can’t move for the things. This is the home of Sermeq Kujalleq, one of the fastest-moving and most active glaciers in the world, which calves a hard-to-comprehend 35km cubed of ice into the sea each year.

What is your idea of adventure? Let’s discover it on a Geopark getaway in the Oeste UNESCO Global Geopark, in Portugal. If you like running, cycling, or just breathing fresh air looking at a beautiful landscape, listen up. With over 72 km of Atlantic coastline, 15 km of beaches, and a rich geological and palaeontological landscape, this geopark might be the destination for you. The coastline is what also allows its community to thrive, around fishing in many small ports dotting the shoreline. Discover UNESCO Global Geoparks and how they preserve the precious link between culture, history and nature: https://lnkd.in/epkHhYGc

No proper holiday plans yet? Feeling uninspired? Why not discover Natura 2000 sites this summer? From Mont Saint-Michel 🇫🇷 to Zwin Nature Park 🇧🇪, Mount Kochylas 🇬🇷, Garajonay National Park 🇪🇸 and Oulanka National Park 🇫🇮, Natura 2000 sites offer you the best of nature and outdoor activities. 🏞️ Natura 2000 is the largest network of protected areas in the world, a haven for many threatened species and habitats. 🏞️ There are more than 27,000 such sites across the EU, some even close to you! From mountains to seas, from lakes to national parks, here are 10 Natura 2000 sites for you to explore and enjoy! Think Nature Conservation. Think Natura 2000. #Natura2000 #LIFE #LIFEprogramme

🌊 Let's dive into the wonders of Ningaloo Reef and celebrate its natural treasures! Here are some incredible facts highlighting the significance of this marine sanctuary:  🌏 UNESCO World Heritage Site: Ningaloo Reef's recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 underscores its role in preserving marine biodiversity and safeguarding fragile ecosystems. 🐬Highly intelligent and social dolphins: Dolphins at Ningaloo Reef exhibit fascinating behavior, including playful interactions with each other and occasionally with human visitors. They are known to surf the waves, ride the bow waves of boats, and even engage in acrobatic displays. 🏝️ Largest Fringing Reef: Stretching approximately 300 km along Western Australia's coast, Ningaloo serves as a vital habitat for diverse marine life, nurturing delicate coral communities and supporting countless species. 🦈 Home to Whale Sharks: Ningaloo Reef plays a crucial role in the lifecycle of whale sharks, offering a sanctuary for these gentle giants during their migratory journeys.  🐠 Diverse Marine Life: From colourful fish to majestic manta rays, Ningaloo is a haven for marine diversity.  🐚 Sustainable Exploration: By promoting responsible tourism practices and minimising human impact, we can ensure that future generations can continue to marvel at the wonders of Ningaloo Reef. #ningalooreef #waworldoceanday #protectouroceans

🌳 The European Day of Parks honours the incredible natural and cultural heritage preserved in our protected areas, by safeguarding biodiversity with #parks that are home to numerous rare and endangered species. Learn some fascinating facts 🕰️ Oldest park: the first national park in Europe, established in 1909, is #Sweden's Sarek National Park, known for its stunning mountain landscapes and diverse wildlife. ↔️ Largest park: Vatnajökull National Park in #Iceland is the largest national park in Europe, covering about 14,141 square kilometres, encompassing glaciers, volcanic landscapes, and geothermal features. 📌 UNESCO Sites: many European parks are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites, recognised for their outstanding natural and cultural values. Parks are not just refuges for wildlife but also vital for our well-being, offering clean air, water, and opportunities for recreation and inspiration. ➡️ Learn about this initiative by the EUROPARC Federation at https://lnkd.in/gQi3pe2H #ECOSN2K #EuropeanDayOfParks #ProtectOurPlanet #EcoSport

The haunting beauty of Namibia's Skeleton Coast will offer a truly unique and unforgettable adventure to your clients. Travelers exploring Namibia's Skeleton Coast can expect to encounter a variety of fascinating sights and experiences. Here's what they might see: Shipwrecks: The Skeleton Coast is known for its rugged, unforgiving coastline littered with shipwrecks, remnants of vessels that have succumbed to the treacherous waters and rocky shores over the centuries. Cape Fur Seals: At Cape Cross, visitors can witness one of the largest colonies of Cape fur seals in the world. These playful marine mammals congregate in large numbers, providing a memorable wildlife viewing experience. Desert Landscapes: The Skeleton Coast is characterised by its stark desert landscapes, where endless dunes meet the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Wildlife: Despite its harsh conditions, the Skeleton Coast is home to a surprising variety of wildlife, including desert-adapted species such as oryx, springbok, and brown hyenas. Birdwatchers may also spot seabirds soaring along the coast. Sand Dunes: Towering dunes rise from the desert floor, creating dramatic vistas and opportunities for sandboarding or dune exploration. Lighthouse Ruins: Historic lighthouses, such as the one at Cape Cross, stand as silent sentinels along the coastline, offering glimpses into the region's maritime past. Your clients will be enchanted by the otherworldly atmosphere of the Skeleton Coast, where the meeting of desert and ocean creates an unforgettable sense of remoteness and mystery. Contact us now to book your clients’ dream getaway to explore Namibia: info@aaatravel.co.za or + 27 (0) 21 790 7148 #AAATravel #DiscoverNamibia #TravelAfrica #VisitNamibia #SkeletonCoast #AfricanAdventure

What can you do at Chiricahua National Monument? Watch the short video to find out.

🐠 Did you know that the “Forests Underwater by Takashi Amano” exhibition is celebrating its 9th anniversary at the Oceanário de Lisboa (Lisbon Oceanarium) 🇵🇹, despite initially being planned for just 3 years? 🐟This incredible exhibition, designed by renowned Japanese landscape photographer Takashi Amano, showcases the stunning beauty of tropical forests and their aquatic ecosystems. It’s the world’s largest nature aquarium, featuring: * 🌏 40 meters in length * 💧 160,000 liters of fresh water * 🏞️ 4 tonnes of sand and 25 tonnes of volcanic rock from the #Azores * 🌲 78 tree trunks from #Scotland and #Malaysia 🇲🇾 * 🐟 Over 10,000 tropical fish from 40 species * 🌿 46 species of aquatic plants More than 7 million visitors have been entranced by this unique experience, which immerses them in a pure balance of nature.🪷 As we celebrate this achievement in #Lisbon, we're also looking forward to Portugal Expo 2025, Portugal’s presence at Expo 2025 Osaka, where the main theme is the ocean. 🌊 We look forward to welcome you there! 🤝 #Ocean #BlueEconomy #Sustainability #MadeInPortugal #BuyFromPortugal #InvestInPortugal #BusinessMatchMaking #PortugalOpenForBusiness #AICEP

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 3 -𝐁𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐨 Don’t be fooled by the docile appearance of the Cape buffalo. This mean, moody and magnificent animal is possibly the most dangerous of the Big Five, especially if you are on foot. Buffalos are social animals and move around in large herds – sometimes of many hundreds – chomping long grass as they collectively move and feed. In the dry season, you can often see a cloud of dust signalling an approaching herd. Although most of a buffalo’s senses are well developed, it’s their super-charged hearing that helps them find food and alerts them to danger. There’s usually a dominant male – or more if the herd is huge – that stays in the middle of the herd, as well as ‘pathfinders’, which may not be the biggest and best, but lead the herd and keep it together. You may also see a group of old bulls together – caked in mud from wallowing. These are known as ‘Dagha Boys’ after the ‘dagha’, or mud, the Zulus used to build their traditional huts. The Okavango Delta in northern Botswana is a haven if ever there was one for seeing cape buffalo in their droves. Here, you have the potential to see thousands of these animals, as they move between the Chobe National Park area and Okavango fairly regularly. 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬: https://bit.ly/4fnyk2c https://lnkd.in/dG9aEut6 #capebuffalo #buffalo #bigfive #wildlife #okavango #botswana #okavangodelta #wildlifephotography #safari #africansafari

The Untamed Majesty: Experiencing the Pure Beauty of Nature in Africa Africa, a continent of unparalleled natural beauty, offers some of the most breathtaking landscapes and wildlife spectacles on Earth. From the sweeping savannahs teeming with majestic wildlife to the lush rainforests echoing with the calls of exotic birds, the continent's pure beauty captivates the soul. This exploration delves into the heart of Africa's natural wonders, celebrating the raw, untamed majesty that makes this land a pinnacle of earthly beauty. The Serengeti: A Theatre of Life The Serengeti ecosystem, stretching across Tanzania and into Kenya, is a testament to the timeless beauty of nature in its purest form. Here, the Great Migration, a perpetual cycle of life, unfolds as over two million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles traverse the plains in search of water and fresh grazing. This spectacle of survival is a profound reminder of nature's resilience and bounty. The Serengeti's endless horizons and golden grasslands, punctuated by the iconic acacia trees, create a landscape that is as beautiful as it is harsh. The Okavango Delta: An Inland Oasis Botswana's Okavango Delta presents a stark contrast to the arid landscapes commonly associated with Africa. This vast inland delta, formed where the Okavango River empties onto a basin in the Kalahari Desert, creates an oasis of life. Floodwaters arriving from the Angolan highlands transform the area into a vibrant wetland, attracting a diverse array of wildlife from elephants and lions to myriad bird species. The delta's intricate network of waterways, islands, and lagoons, accessible only by traditional mokoro canoes, offers an intimate glimpse into the heart of Africa's wilderness. The Sahara: Beauty in Extremity The Sahara, the largest hot desert in the world, might seem inhospitable at first glance, yet it holds its own unique beauty. Its vast dunes, sculpted by the wind into ever-changing patterns, glow with fiery hues at sunrise and sunset. The Sahara's nights are equally mesmerizing, with clear skies offering some of the most spectacular stargazing opportunities. Oases, the lifelines in this sea of sand, are verdant havens that punctuate the desert's expanse, reminding us of nature's ability to flourish against all odds.