Learn More about some of our past Expeditions
El Dorado: The Search for the Golden Toad
In the twilight of the 20th century, the last Golden Toad on the planet disappeared from the cloud forests above Monteverde, Costa Rica - never to be seen again. As the first terrestrial extinction to be linked to climate change, the toad’s extinction offers lessons about the importance of conservation in vulnerable tropical ecosystems. In 2019, amid rumors of scattered sightings and unconfirmed encounters, Adventure Term team members returned to the Golden Toad’s historic habitat in a journey to learn from the tragedy of this emblematic species - and to answer a lingering question: what if the Golden Toad survived?
Salamanders of the Southeast
The southeastern United States is the salamander capital of the world - but these creatures and the important ecological roles they play are often overlooked. Now, a shadowy threat from across the sea threatens the very existence of salamanders on a global scale. This Adventure Term course-building expedition explores southeastern salamander biodiversity and the work that is being done to protect them from oblivion.
On the Border
In the summer of 2019, three Adventure Term students traveled with instructors through the borderlands of southern Arizona in search of a bird, a frog, and a big cat. In these three charismatic species, the team found larger lessons about the impacts of human development and climate change in one of North America’s most sensitive - and environmentally important - ecosystems.
Phantom of the Pines
In the summer of 2018, Adventure Term co-founder Kyle Ritland traveled to South Florida for an investigative look into the past, present, and future of the endangered Florida Panther, the last puma east of the Mississippi River. While the Panther population has grown substantially since its critical low of 30 individuals 30 years ago, it still faces numerous threats to its continued survival, such as habitat destruction, vehicular strike, and human conflict. In the short video, you can hear from locals and experts about their experience with the species, and learn about their current projects working toward its survival. Click on the link above to learn more about the expedition.
Ghost-Dogs of the south
On this week-long winter expedition, Adventure Term team members journeyed in to the swampy forests of eastern North Carolina in search of the very last wild Red Wolves on the planet. There, in the thick folds of forest in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, they searched for the remainders of this shy and disappearing species and wove together creative narratives about their expedition. Augmented with interviews with local professionals, advocates, and stakeholders, this expedition encapsulates Adventure Term's dedication to tell engaging stories about imperiled species, despite whatever obstacles the world might throw our way. Click on the hyperlink above ("Ghost-Dogs of the South") to see photos, video, and more content from this expedition.
Monarch
Follow along with Adventure Term co-founder Trevor Ritland on the trail of the western monarch migration. This 2017 course-building adventure traverses the state of Arizona to learn from biologists and citizen scientists about the ecological importance of the monarch butterfly, the threats that are pushing it toward extinction, and the work that everyday people are doing to protect it.
The Channel Island Fox
In the spring of 2017, Adventure Term co-found Kyle Ritland traveled to California’s Santa Cruz island in search of the Channel Island Fox. A success story for endangered species conservation, the Channel Island Fox offers important lessons that can be applied to other imperiled species in North America and beyond. Click the hyperlink above to read the full article via Blue Ridge Outdoors.
The Search for the American Crocodile
In the premiere Adventure Term expedition, six college seniors set off into the Florida Everglades to find and film the "rare and dangerous" American Crocodile in its natural habitat. In kayaks floating on the dark waters of West Lake, their headlamps illuminated the amber eyeshine of more than ten crocodiles lurking in the tangled mangrove roots. Follow the hyperlink above ("The Search for the American Crocodile") to learn more about the expedition, the interviews, the team, and the feature-length documentary that they produced.
Adventures Unlimited
We are proud of the creative work that our students, instructors, and partners produce beyond the realm of our Adventure Term programs. Follow the hyperlink above to explore content from our independent travels that have taken our collaborators across North and Central America and beyond.