It is certainly impressive to see the growth of new infrastructure in our cities. From apartment buildings and underground rail to roads, development is part and parcel of 21st century living.
However, as these urban hubs expand, governments and agencies must play an active role to protect the future of the world’s unique flora and fauna, ensuring that development doesn’t impact vital parts of our fragile ecosystem.
This is where the concept of national parks becomes important. Through establishing clear boundaries around countryside, water or mountains, the integrity of the land can be maintained for future generations. Wildlife can have a protected area with abundant natural resources and the public can enjoy the sheer beauty of the untouched nature.
Many Aurora Expeditions’ adventures travel through national parks. Read on to learn more about these various locations and what wildlife you could get the privilege to see.
North East Greenland National Park (Greenland)
Even in a region as remote as Greenland, there is a national park protecting the island’s variety of flora and fauna. As part of the Jewels of the Arctic adventure, explorers get to experience firsthand the beauty of North East Greenland National Park, the largest and most northern national park in the world.
Covering 972,000 square kilometres, the park includes many spectacular landscapes including majestic fjords, polar ice sheets, and towering mountains with no sign of human activity in sight. As with most national parks, there are no permanent residents, meaning that nature can remain unspoilt.
As for the wildlife that call North East Greenland National Park home, the list is almost endless. Explorers with Aurora Expeditions can see everything from polar bears, Arctic foxes and caribou, to eagles, lemmings and even the rare Arctic wolf. With the Arctic Ocean rich in food supply, you should have no trouble seeing some of the region’s wildlife from our Polar Pioneer ship.
Yasuni National Park (Ecuador)
Located on the western Ecuador border with Peru, Yasuni National Park is known as one of the world’s most biologically diverse locations. With its conditions perfect for bird, mammal, amphibian and plant life, the 9,820 square kilometre national park is an important part of two adventures with Aurora Expeditions – Ecuador in Depth and Amazonia, Cloud Forests & Galapagos.
The Yasuni National Park is wonderfully diverse and visitors to the area will soon start to hear the birds singing in the trees and monkeys calling out from the canopies above. Along the Napo River which cuts through the park, you can experience the rich culture of the local indigenous communities who welcome us into their lives – underpinned by their unique traditions and isolation to the outside world.
Of course, being part of the Amazon rainforest, the Yasuni National Park landscape is very different to anywhere else in the world. With winding rivers, high canopies and unique flora and fauna, a trip to this part of the world is something to remember for the rest of your life!
Los Glaciares National Park (Patagonia)
As part of the province of Santa Cruz, Los Glaciares National Park is the largest of its kind in the country. The park covers more than 720,000 hectares and is the first port of call for explorers on the Patagonia Discovery Trek (Argentina to Chile). Remaining untouched for centuries, Los Glaciares is surrounded by snow-capped peaks, glacial lakes and wooded forests making for a photo opportunity around every corner.
The real star attraction of Los Glaciares National Park is Perito Moreno Glacier. In stark contrast to many other glaciers in Patagonia and around the world, Perito Moreno is actually growing, rather than receding. For reason unknown to scientists, the glacier is slowly advancing –at last measure it was 30 km in length, 5 km wide and 74 m above the lake surface.
As a result of this phenomenon, explorers could be lucky enough to see this glacier in action, with huge pieces of ice falling from the main block into the freezing lake below!
Galápagos National Park (Galápagos/Ecuador)
Situated around 973 km off the coast of South America, the Galápagos Islands represent an important part of the world’s ecosystem. Due to their isolation from the mainland, animals such as the Galápagos tortorise, marine iguanas and finches have had to adapt to the temperate conditions, creating a hub for natural selection.
With Aurora Expeditions’ Galápagos Odyssey adventure, you will get to experience the Galápagos National Park which incorporates 97 per cent of the archipelago.
To learn more about the various nationals parks that you can visit with Aurora Expeditions, feel free to get in contact with our team today.
