Earthwatch

08/08/2026

Most people never hear the owls hidden deep within the forests of Utah and Arizona.
These small, nocturnal species nest in tree cavities and play an important role in forest ecosystems. Researchers are studying how climate change and shifting habitat conditions may affect the forests—and the owls that depend on them.
On Earthwatch’s Following Forest Owls in the Western U.S. expedition, field teams work alongside scientists and to monitor nesting sites, survey habitat, and collect long-term ecological data.
By day, research happens in the forest. By night, teams listen for owl calls beneath some of the darkest skies in the American West. Find out how to join us 👉 https://bit.ly/4nBPAWL

*These birds were handled for scientific research under federally authorized permits and in accordance with all state permitting requirements.*

08/04/2026

What happens when the ocean gets too warm?

On our NEW Baja California Marine Research Expedition, scientists are studying how marine heat waves are changing the lives of humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins and whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez.

Working alongside researchers, participants help monitor wildlife behavior and collect data that supports long-term conservation in one of the world's most biologically rich marine ecosystems.

Because understanding a changing ocean starts with being out in the field. https://bit.ly/4vHIRNz

Image by Dr. Lenin Oviedo

07/31/2026

For more than 30 years, scientists have been tracking how life in the Peruvian Amazon responds to a changing climate. 🌿

As floods, drought, and extreme heat reshape the rainforest, long-term research follows dolphins, birds, fish, caimans, monkeys, and other wildlife across interconnected habitats to better understand how these changes affect where animals live and how they behave.

Earthwatch supports this ongoing research by contributing to studies that span rivers, flooded forests, and rainforest canopies. The data collected helps Peruvian agencies make informed decisions about protecting wildlife and managing one of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems.

07/28/2026

Shark Week gets even more exciting when you see the science behind it.

Off the coast of Belize, more than a decade of research is tracking shark numbers, movement and fishing pressure. Sharks are carefully measured, tagged and released, while underwater monitoring and standardized surveys help build a long-term picture of where they go, how they use these habitats and how their populations are changing.

The project brings scientific data together with generations of local knowledge to support shark conservation, sustainable fisheries and the coastal communities connected to these waters. In the first year of the collaboration, shark landings were cut nearly in half—showing what can happen when science and community knowledge come together.

Swipe to see Earthwatch Expeditions shark conservation in action—from field research and underwater monitoring to careful tagging and release.

07/23/2026

In the Amazon, everything depends on water. As flooding and drought become more extreme, scientists are studying how changing water levels affect the movements and survival countless species.

For more than 30 years, Earthwatch has supported long-term research in Peru's Upper Amazon, where data collected across flooded forests, rivers, and rainforest habitats helps scientists understand how climate change is reshaping one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

The findings continue to inform how wildlife and protected areas are managed across the Peruvian Amazon. Have you joined us in the Amazon yet? https://bit.ly/4b4QdTD

07/15/2026

What does habitat restoration research really look like in the field?

In Kenya’s Maasai Mara, scientists and Maasai landowners restore degraded savanna habitat—surveying wildlife, setting camera traps, measuring vegetation, planting native species, and supporting nursery work as they track the ecosystem’s recovery. Every field observation helps support long-term habitat restoration, wildlife conservation in Kenya, and the recovery of critical wildlife corridors across East Africa.

On Monitoring Wildlife Recovery in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, you’ll work alongside researchers conducting conservation research and field research focused on savanna restoration, wildlife movement, and ecosystem recovery, contributing to ongoing restoration science in the region. Find out how to join us 👉 https://bit.ly/3QBzFM3

07/08/2026

While many killer whale populations specialize in a single prey species, Iceland's orcas are remarkably adaptable. Some feed almost exclusively on herring, while others hunt both fish and marine mammals-offering scientists a rare opportunity to study how diet influences health, behavior, and survival.

On Earthwatch's Iceland Orca expedition, ongoing research tracks where these apex predators travel, how they hunt, and what they eat, helping scientists better understand how orcas adapt to a changing ocean.

Against Iceland's dramatic coastline, every sighting contributes to a long-term study uncovering the lives of one of the ocean's most intelligent predators. https://bit.ly/4tUTPyp

07/02/2026

Dr. Demian Chapman has spent decades studying shark populations worldwide, with expertise in genetics, movement and the global fin trade. His work has helped shape conservation policy, from shark sanctuaries to international trade protections. Learn more about his research and how you can join this Earthwatch Expedition 👉 https://bit.ly/4u7HWpz

06/24/2026

At Las Baulas National Marine Park, Earthwatch Expeditions supports long-term research focused on understanding and protecting one of the world's most endangered sea turtle populations. With Eastern Pacific leatherbacks having declined by more than 90% since 1980, scientists monitor nesting females, protect vulnerable nests, track hatchling success, and study juvenile turtles in coastal waters.
The return of these turtles is a reminder that conservation happens over decades—and that long-term research is essential to understanding what works. https://bit.ly/4uVtKQe

06/13/2026

"Participatory science gives everyday people the opportunity to actively contribute to meaningful scientific research and conservation work happening around the world,” Forbes

Participatory science travel, trips built around guests doing real field research alongside working scientists, is growing fast. Here, companies that meet the demand.