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Since 1995 SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Adventure CampsSM have played host to nearly 300,000 campers, hailing from all 50 U.S. states and 22 countries.
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» The Limbe Wildlife Centre, Limbe, Cameroon...
» Entering the Emperor’s Realm in Antarctica
» Vanuatu
» Tesso Nilo National Forest
» The SeaWorld/Busch Gardens/Fujifilm Environmental Excellence Awards: A Local Approach to Conservation
» Tracking Lions in Kenya with Dr. Lawrence Frank
» SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund
» The Galapagos
» An African Adventure to Remember






Among the threats to Vanuatu's ecosystems are habitat degradation, fishing pressure and pollution. To curb these threats and restore damaged areas, the Peace Corps has led an impressive grassroots effort to educate and engage local citizens, increase awareness among tourists, and motivate community members and fishermen to manage their own marine protected areas. Peace Corps volunteers also have helped collect baseline biological data on the tropical reef ecosystems, monitoring reef activity and growth over multiple years.

They've also trained local people to carry on this work - a key step to ensuring long-term conservation success.

By Sheila Voss
Busch Entertainment Corporation

Fans of the television series Survivor© may know where Vanuatu is, but most people do not.

Located between Hawaii and Australia, the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu boasts more than 80 islands stretching across more than 780 miles. Its residents rely on the country's limited natural resources for basic survival. These same resources are what attract thousands of tourists to these islands, primarily by cruise ships.

The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund teamed up with the Peace Corps in 2004 to help protect and preserve Vanuatu's coastal ecosystems - specifically its mangroves, sea grasses, lagoons, coral reefs and open ocean areas. These areas are critical breeding and nursery grounds for countless fish species, many of which are important food sources. In addition, Vanuatu's waters are home to several endangered species, including dugongs, crocodiles, coconut crabs and sea turtles. Spinner dolphins and humpback whales also frequent the islands' rich waters.