Speaker 1 00:00:11 Hey friends. Welcome back to rewild ology, where we explore conservation travel and rewilding the planet. I'm your host, Brooke Mitchell, Norman conservation, biologists, and world traveler on today's show. We're traveling back to the Galapagos islands to hear part two of my conversation with Josie Cardoso, we chat about a very interesting citizen science project. She recently joined as a team lead called barcode Galapagos. Why the Galapagos islands are so special and should be on every nature lovers bucket list and how we can all do our part to protect and restore her nature. This whole conversation has me thinking that may be once the time is right, we should get a group of us from the rewatch algae community to go. What do you all think I am dying for any excuse to go back and bringing a super fun group of all of you with me, sounds like a frickin blast.
Speaker 1 00:01:02 I'll just let that idea sit and grow, but seriously, if it does sound fun to you reach out on Instagram or email
[email protected]. Lastly, if you're liking the show so far, please subscribe and share wherever you're listening, sharing is the best way to help the show grow. And I promise to continue bringing on fascinating guests and sharing their inspiring stories. And now onto part two with Josie, when you and I were, we were texting the other day, you were talking about Galapagos barcode. What exactly is that? And what is your role with them? And, yeah, let's just, I would really love to hear more about that project.
Speaker 2 00:01:44 Yeah. Um, actually that's a project run by the university in San Francisco university in the mainland and is one of the most ambitious projects here in Ecuador, uh, with citizen science and these university, um, realizing the need of Galapagos, right? That most of us, we were unemployed because I would say 90% of the guides were freelance. So no guests, no trips, no work. Basically they decided to put together this project that was already, you know, they, for sure they were already thinking several a couple of years ago of doing it. And they say, okay, well, we're going to, eh, to get some grants, some fundings. So that's, they were lucky enough to get this money in order to get the project running at Kobe time, because it's how they can contribute. We, the people giving them income in time that no one has a job.
Speaker 2 00:02:48 Right. So in that case they did, um, they said, okay, we're going to, we need 50 people. Eh, and we prefer to be guides, fishermen and people that works in agriculture. So all of these three type of people, we were able to apply in order to help this project. There is a Galapagos barcode. So what we want to do is to barcode all the species that we have here on the islands. Wow. Eh, yeah. It's, it's amazing. You know, we have 4,000 species we're going to the barcoding of those 4,000 species, but for sure, there, there are more, you know, and, um, a, you had team leaders feel assistants, lab assistants, and you have this other group of people that I really don't know the name in English, but it's people that is going to be doing the interviews interview viewers. Yeah. We applied about 500, 500 people and it was the only spot for 50 of us.
Speaker 2 00:04:07 I was looking off to get it. I apply as a team leader and we started in a, at the well at the beginning of December, that's where we started and it's going to last for nine months. And this project, it's a, we started December, you know, with the conference because we need to learn. I mean, w you didn't need to have previous experience in order to qualify, because then if you, if they were going to require that there are people who was going to narrower right on what they wanted to do is help as many people as they wanted. So some of us have already some experience, some of us have nothing of experience working on a lab, for example. So we had, December has been a full-time of, uh, eh, conferences, different swords, you know, what, what is, what this project, one, all the different stages that we're going to go through, the new equipment that we're going to get, and we need to get paperwork from each one of others is going to be in both of the pro in the project and rhino.
Speaker 2 00:05:17 The next part is going to be looking of the samples of animals or plants or organisms that have been already collected. And from there, you are going to get the sample in order to get the genetic information and do the barcode thing. And right now with technology, you know, I'm learning, I'm so amazed of how technology works in favor of these projects, right? Eh, before you need to have thousands and thousands of dollars, and they were huge machines where you, you need it in order to get the DNA information of species right now, there are these little machines that feed on your pocket, right? That are not that expensive, and you can transport it very easily. So right now the equipment is arriving to San crystal Island. And from there, they're going to send in part of the equipment here. And it says, the project imagine is 50 people that were spread on three different islands, Isabella sangria, Solon, and Santa Cruz.
Speaker 2 00:06:22 We have to have a high level of communication because all of us were a team. Some of us, we don't know each other, and we have all the assistants feel assistants, all the lab assistants and the interviewers. So that's what now. I mean, both it's a learning. It has been a great learning opportunity. And one of our first biggest, eh, works or like homeworks was to get the gate into the gene bank website and get the genetic information of so many specific genes of organisms that are here. So we had to analyze about 3000 organisms from Lykens fungos insects, Berta rates. Some of them had so much information. Some of them non plants non-information at all. So that's what we're doing. That's what we were doing on a, we're going well, right now, we're starting our third month. It's going to be interesting. You know, w we, we don't know what to hit every month. We have an, a specific thing to do, and then that's what we're doing, but it's going to be great, you know, 50 people working on a CDs and science project, that's run by a university among, you know, they have also alliances with other universities.
Speaker 1 00:07:47 That's so exciting. Oh my gosh. And so I have like a million questions pop in my brain just as my, you know, scientist's brain is just going off right now. So are, are the species that you're collecting? Are they all land species or is there going to be effort going underwater? Cause I'm sure that is a whole different ball game. If we're going to be start diving and trying to get the species, I mean, there's so much biodiversity around the islands, so where are they starting? What's the goal to start with and is it going to continue growing?
Speaker 2 00:08:20 Yeah. Yeah. That's actually, it, that's why we need the fishermen because it goes underwater as well. So, uh, for what they have told us first, we're going to, of course, you know, because going out in the field means money. And, uh, of course there's not that much money to do field trips, but there is a lot of species already collected from land and from the ocean. So, eh, and if we need an, a specific one, then the project will get all the permits. We'll also other projects that are running because that's easier. And it's more efficient in time to join a scientist that has already the permits to collect an, a specific species. Then you are starting the whole thing in order to collect on a specific species. So yeah, it's, it's land and it's ocean. Imagine how many species are going to be there. It's mind blowing, it's mind blowing. And with these little devices that feed on your packet, it's incredible.
Speaker 1 00:09:26 I mean, 50 people doesn't even sound like enough with how many, how many things we saw in 10 days out, even that's incredible nine months, that's ambitious. I mean, that's exciting. Like fingers crossed with everybody doing their part, but you catalog as many as possible. That'll be amazing
Speaker 2 00:09:48 In so many spaces are already catalog. So that's an advantage, but the ones that are not catalog and don't have the barcode, then we'll have, we'll have to do it. I'm in the learning process. You know, I've never been on a lab. I didn't study genetics. So that's an important part of this project that you are learning, you know, it's like I've been paid to learn
Speaker 1 00:10:08 What a great deal. Awesome.
Speaker 2 00:10:12 Of course we do it with a lot of responsibility. We like all these two months paperwork that it's needed that you have to collect from, uh, from the other assistants and lead people that you don't know well here in town, we kind of know each other, but we've never worked with them, you know, in, in these specific things. So working with four or five people that you are in charge, that they are part of the team, you know, because each one of us, it's a different world. Maybe what responsibility means for me is that, I mean the same to you, but getting to the same level that we all have to, to finish by these days, we all have to give the best that we have in order for the end, as we say, where the other team leaders here, because when we're five team leaders in Santa Cruz, we're going to be the best team.
Speaker 1 00:11:00 We're competitive are going
Speaker 2 00:11:01 To win the other two islands so far, we've done done it because we have all, you know, turning our homework early or right.
Speaker 1 00:11:10 That's so you, I'm not surprised at all. You're a team lane it's like to Santa Cruz. That's okay. Um, so, so let's, let's actually bring it up a level a little bit since, you know, I'm a biologist I've been to the islands. I know how amazing they are. Um, but could you, for anybody who really isn't, um, you know, versed in the Galapagos, can you explain why they're so unique, why they're so incredible and the very strong conservation, um, program that the government has around it. So if you wouldn't mind just giving a little history of the islands, um, and just so that we're all up to speed on
Speaker 2 00:11:54 Why they're amazing. So I'll try to do a long story short because here we can talk about three hours, all of these things. So basically a part of Ecuador, right? The islands where these covering 1535 by the, by the spine is by me steak and the islands were beasts seeded by pirates, bookend years, whalers, sealers sailors, but the islands, according to these people, they were held on earth, which is great. I cannot complain because thanks to that. Now we're part of Ecuador. It was hell on earth. There was no food, no water. It was just lover roads, you know, heat. So no one cares about the islands. The islands were a hiding spot at that time because you know, whalers were fighting them on each other. Then in the pirates and the Buccaneers were trying to steal the goal from the spiders that were sealing the gold from mainland, April around from other countries.
Speaker 2 00:12:53 So it was that perfect hiding spot. And they, the only, the few food supply that they found here were giant tortoises. And at that time they collect the giant tortoises, put them on the boats. And as a reptile giant tortoises can leave several months with a water hood. So what a great deal you are in those boats of these pirates Buccaneers for years and years of the ocean, and you have an animal that would not need food or water to survive, and you can kill it at any time and have fresh meat. And then they took tortoises with them and they left introduced animals like rats later on pigs, goats on it, then 1832 Ecuador came, the islands became part of equal or equal or encourage people to come and leave here. Then 1835 Charles Darwin posited by the Galapagos, right. Things, God, it was after they were already part of a Butler.
Speaker 2 00:13:49 He realizes. Yeah, because otherwise we will be part of another country colonize in some way, shape or form by some power. Exactly. So three years later, yeah. After they were declared a part of Ecuador, cellos are in pause by, and it, he realizes that the islands, each one, because he visited some of the islands in, in, in a very short time that he was here realized that each one has a different ecosystem. Eh, he saw the same birds, but they still in the same bird were different. Tortoises were different. So then, you know, after, yeah, he passed by, he realized that he collected a lot of samples of, uh, of animals. And later on, he developed his theory of, um, natural selection, right? Adaptive radiation by natural selection. And, um, more people was coming to leave the islands. We still have scientific expeditions passing by.
Speaker 2 00:14:53 And that's why the islands became famous also more. Ecuadorians encouraged by the government to come and the here. So basically we had a late colonialization here on the islands and that's why we have all the wildlife that we have until nowadays. And then the national park was created in, uh, in the fifties, late fifties, they declared this national park and imagine these groups, 97% of the Island is national park. And 3% is where we can leave, where we have our homes. We have our businesses, we have our farms 3%. So that number is very, very important. 97%, no, we cannot do anything that's protected. That's where the animals blinds are happy, doing all their all what they need to do. And then of course, eh, we will declare human heritage after it was declared national park. And since that time, the conservation efforts started, we had a scientist visiting us and realizing how special the islands are in terms of the adaptation process that the animals are able to get here on the changes that the animal gets in order to survive and to cope with the environment that they happen to be living in it.
Speaker 2 00:16:22 So when we have unique animals, like where are you going to see the Galapagos spring when only, and it's the bean, when that leaves, you know, closer to the equator line, where is hot? What is that thing? When green here, then we have the giant tortoises. They're unique to the islands. We have the SCORM run that lost the ability of flying, arrive to the Galapagos flying and years, and years and years pass by and lost the ability to, of flying because they decided that it was a lot more food available in the ocean and they didn't have that many predators, you know, so we have applied the score man, and we have the dial-in finches, right? The famous Darwin finches, that little bird that causes a huge commotion in our, on our world, Charles Darwin, and studied it very, very well. So how the finches occupied a different niche and in order to be successful in that niche, they have a special features right?
Speaker 2 00:17:28 In their beak. They specialize in eating the defendant food in order not to compete with each other. They don't have the mockingbirds that are unique to here, lovely sides. And we have like a lab I will see lions. And then you see how, how the thing was changing clothes, or they gave it to the equator for pink wanes and sea lions. Yeah. The animal itself in order to better with the heat, they reduced size. Right? Well, the exception is a giant tortoises that they became giant because of availability of food and hope predators. But yeah, we have this process of adaptation of evolution. You know, you can call it however you want, according to your religion, w we don't discuss that here, but how they adopted in order to be successful. And how later on we had 70 in the seventies, tourism started here on the islands, but since the very beginning, tourism has been very, very regulated.
Speaker 2 00:18:29 You've been lucky. I've been lucky to travel the world, right. And to explore other national parks. And for me, so far, Galapagos is one of the most regulated, occupied Legos in the world. Like we have so many rules, so many rules to follow. You know, the boat has to have a license in order to be able to navigate around the islands. You need to have a guide. Eh, within the 97%, we have the trails where we can be saved. We have trails to follow. You cannot go outside of the trail. You can not take food to the islands. Eh, we have a timeframe where we can be, see the islands, the national practice, the activities that we can do in, in each place. And one of the most amazing thing is how we manage the capacity of each place, the carrying capacity. So we want to have that many groups at the same time without bothering each other.
Speaker 2 00:19:23 So we will avoid definitely being a, I don't know, these new world or other national parks that have so many people in it. I remember going to Iceland. It was docents of people next to me, in my way, to get the photo of a waterfall number 10,000, 10,000 water. Everybody wants to see if it's same waterfall, right? How many photos are you can take over the same water waterfall. Yeah. And counting right. Waterfall number 1,500. So we don't want that here. We want to feel like you, as a group are alone and we've been successful in order to manage that. So that's why daily tour boats, cruise boats, half times and have itineraries. So you don't go wherever you feel like to go that day. No, you go where the national park told you to go. And in that way you have four or five boats around you.
Speaker 2 00:20:20 That means four or five groups. And then the guides know each other. And they know, for example, as are me, I like to wake up early. So whenever they know I'm on a boat, I'm going to be the first one going on the islands at six o'clock because, you know, I like the sunrise or because we have people that likes photos and then another guy who's going to disembark half an hour or an hour after I do. Sometimes it's a loop. So when it goes by the ride, the only one goes by the leg. You never feel that you are in a job while you are exploring the islands. And so all those regulations have, make the Galapagos to be successful in terms of how we manage tourism. It doesn't feel crowded and animals are there for sure. You experienced that. Uh, we have a rule of two meters, distance, six feet, distance, and no touching the animals and no collecting organic material.
Speaker 2 00:21:16 And the animals do not runaway. They know we are not chasing them. They know we're not touching them. They know we're not eating them. Right. So they have no fear of humans passing and obesity in their home, basically. Right? Because we are visiting their home. That's something that we always have to keep in mind and they are team fearless, friendly. I don't know, call it however you want to call it. But there are there the only part of the world that they would post for your photos. And you don't need to be an expert national geographic photographer in order to get the national geographic and showed right here on the islands. So that's what the, that's what it <inaudible> right. It's the place where you still see that bonding between nature and humans.
Speaker 2 00:22:10 We're in nature means animals are not scared of you, right. Are swimming with it. And they come and keys your mosque or the pink wind comes and look at you or fly this. Cormorants where, where they know you are on another creature, a weird creature, for sure. They all look at us that is swimming in their, in their area. But yeah, it's, that's how Galapagos it's. So for me, Galapagos is magical. It's a magical place. That's your magic. Yeah. It's magical. Then how much Galapagos gave us in one single trip? I think no other trips have been able to give me yet when the Galapagos, I haven't been able to, why not? Maybe Botswana will match or, you know, w were you aware of it's very special. So
Speaker 3 00:22:59 Yeah, I think
Speaker 2 00:23:00 They will be competing there. You'll be mindful and tactically get there. Yeah. But I'm not sure. Yeah. All the regulations that we have, right. The guides we need to do, we need to submit a report at the end of the trip, not even to the company that you work, because the companies are the ones that hire you, you know, the private companies, but you need to submit a report to the national park institution. There is the government telling them, you know, which vote are you wearing? How many people? And if you found things around, if you found strategy, the trail is not good. If there is too many people, which well, that doesn't happen. If other boats were following the rules. So here we have a system of guides watching other, and that's why we follow the regulations. Right? We take care of each other or we control each other.
Speaker 2 00:23:52 That's why when some guest says no, but what about if I can go outside of the trail? No, because there's another guy that is going to be behind me, maybe watching you, or going outside of the trail, they are going to report that and I'm going to lose my job. And also we are, they're controlling that the fishermen are doing their fishing in the areas that they can, or we are there in order to control or to be there. So illegal fishing activities from people from other countries are not doing in our Marine reserve. So that's how we managed to reason them here, right? Guides are part of the chain. Fishermen. Our local fisherman are also watching that international fishermen or Ecuador and fishermen are not coming into their Marine reserves to use the areas that they are only allowed to use. So the tourism has become a very important part for conservation here on the islands, due to tourism, we have all the boats moving around and we have more eyes in the field.
Speaker 2 00:24:57 So that's very important. And that's, you know, um, something that we don't realize because people says, well, you've got up on the show, a special why you don't close Galapagos and you leave in no one, so no one can hurt Galapagos. And I say, that's not the point. You know, I think, eh, you you're going to have an impact. Yes, that's for sure. I mean, we can not lie to ourselves, but you have to reduce the impact as much as possible. And how would you like people to get our awareness or to take care of places? Even they don't know the places, you know, there's a lot of kids that come here in family departures that they're in contact with the wildlife. And at the end of the tree, they usually, they usually say, you know, Josie, I wanted to be a biologist. Or I went to those, I sort of job that involves taking care of nature because they weren't able to experience this, this week, these days around the islands nature and something moved, you know, inside of their heart, inside of the brain that they really want to be part of preserving these spots that we have.
Speaker 2 00:26:06 So Galapagos offers you so much, but also is a life-changing experience like for grownups, when grownups come here and we say, you know, you have to bring your own water bottle. He goes, we're not going to give you plastic bottles. And they say, why are you crazy? Well, yeah, in Galapagos, we don't want plastic. So you better come with your water bottle. Otherwise, how are you going to drink water? Or we don't use the straws. Actually. Galapagos has been one of the provinces that we've been very forward in terms of reducing the amount of plastic, because at the end plastic against somebody now we're oceans and that's, what's killing all wildlife there. Or you have, you know, little kids looking at you, whether you are a male guide or a female guide, and they start following you on, you know, you know, they want to do what you're doing.
Speaker 2 00:26:56 So you just put them as your assistant. And at the end of the truth, they say, you know, I, when I grow up, I want to be a guy like you. And that's when you say, you know, all what I'm doing is worth it. Or when you have a mother staying, I wish when my daughter grows is going to be like you Josie, what? Like, you're doing something very, very good for a mother to say that. Right. Yeah. And I'm not saying because I want to brag about it, but it's the opportunity that you being a naturalist guide have in order to cause an impact in someone's mind, in someone's heart. So basically it's, you know, conservation through interpretation, conservation through interpretation, right? Because interpretation means creating something in between your ears, making something that moves in between your ears. So we went to grade that in, in the people that comes here to the Galapagos, uh, in order to be able to go back home and instead of, you know, changes, you know what, yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 00:28:01 I'm not going to use a plastic bottle anymore. So I'm going to carry my water bottle. And that's how many plastics you are reducing in your lifetime. Right? It's a lot of plastic. So yeah, basically we, I was saying that I don't want to brag of what people tells me when I'm guiding, but what I wanted to tell you with these is the opportunity that you, as a naturalist guide have in order to call or to produce that, thinking through the interpretation, that hopefully will lead later on to conservation into the, with the travelers that you have in a whole year. It's beautiful. So that's how we manage the lava was on a little bit of the history of the islands. I mean, if anybody listening to this doesn't yeah.
Speaker 1 00:28:51 I want to go to the islands after hearing that spiel, I can't help them. I don't know what else could you possibly want in a trip? You have insane wildlife. It's beautiful. You have this gorgeous sun, the boats, amazing guides everybody's in it together. I mean, it was very real. Like I watched you watching other groups, other groups were definitely watching us and especially being with a group of photographers, you definitely had your hands full because nobody wanted to move. And you're like, okay, people let's go, let's go, let's go.
Speaker 2 00:29:29 No one was leaving. Um, so no,
Speaker 1 00:29:32 Very well-regulated and I highly respected that. Especially being in other tourist destinations around the world and national parks or that doesn't happen, you know, one animal siting. And it's just a swarm of trucks and people and yeah, it's, the Galapagos is special and everybody needs to go.
Speaker 2 00:29:53 Yeah. You know, and just to add one more thing, um, you know, I, I studied my must. I, I didn't mention that I started in my master degree, I got an, a scholarship. So I went two years to Spain to study management and planning of tourism because one of my dreams have been, always be to be the head of the ministry of tourism here, you know, or to be the mayor of the CD, because I want to really have this change and be an destination that offers excellent service. So I've always trained myself for that. And, you know, that's why I went to the master degree program. And then the opportunity came two years ago that, um, eh, a guy that is in charge of another institution, because those places are appointed, right. They're not bold or elected by the people there, they point you.
Speaker 2 00:30:45 I said, Josie, you know, would you like to be in charge of the ministry of tourism? So we were like, Oh, that's what I've trained myself for. That's what I've wanted to be. Let me think about it. Because then you are in this conflict between you go to an office seat there and me being outside, right. Doing the chamber of Teresa, the guides association participated in a lot of meetings in a lot of lobbying. So I say, I came to that conflict of, okay, I accept what I've always wanted to do, being in charge of the ministry of tourism. And that means leaving behind my guiding what I'm, what I want. Right. And I thought I was not going to have a conflict when the moment came, but I did. So I say, I told these guys, you know, give me a day to think about it.
Speaker 2 00:31:39 And I thought about it. I went over the whole night and the next day I says, you know, no, I, I think, I mean, I've always wanted to be in charge of the ministry of tourism, but now, because I've been involved all these years, loving with them, loving with the municipality, trying to get projects working. I know how energy demanding those meetings are. After three years, you keep talking about exactly the same thing. And it's so hard to make changes if you don't get in the system. Right? I mean, people say this, but Josie, sometimes you have to do good things that are not aligned with your values for the greater good. And you say, you know, I'm not sure if I'm able to do that. Like I said, things that are not aligned to my ethics, to my values in order to get a bigger thing.
Speaker 2 00:32:33 So I thought about that. I say, you know, and guiding, I have to leave the guiding behind, which is my conservation three interpretation. And you can see that it changes in a matter of a week, or maybe later on when your guests ride your bike on a, you keep a relationship, you know, a friendship with them and telling you, Hey Josie, you know what, I'm, this is my trip to the Galapagos. I have not used plastic bottles again. Or, you know, we're more conscious about these. We're more conscious about that. So it was this internal battle, this feeling of what is the best. And at the end, I choose, keep guiding, you know, keep guiding, keeping an actual list because I think I can produce a better impact and see faster results guiding than sitting on a, on an office. Then you have endless and boring meetings. And maybe in three years from now, they're going to still discuss the same thing.
Speaker 2 00:33:37 So that was hard, you know, that was hard done well. And then COVID came that no diving around. I like, Oh my gosh. But no, actually on December, December I had three trips. I was one of the few lucky guys that I, we had three trips. I had three different boats and it was amazing. And it was people mainly from the U S and I, I just love right. I just miss so much that time of being bored. No seeing no. I mean, even the whole world collapses who cares, you're there on the boat, enjoying nature. And it's just a different world. You know, it's like, I want to go and be on board of the boats, leading trips and meeting people. Right.
Speaker 1 00:34:24 And who knows, maybe that opportunity will come back around in a different phase of life when you are more ready for that. Cause you are so poised in the right position with your backgrounds, how active you are, your extensive education backgrounds. I feel like it's going to come around. I would call you mayor Josie from now on like, Joseph's going to be the mayor one day and we're going to come visit her. And I'm just going to call you mayor Josie. So this has been a fantastic conversation. I don't want it to end. We could just chat all day. Um, but just to start to, um, kind of reel it in a little bit. W what asks do you have of anybody listening, um, whether, and you can take that in whatever direction you want. Is there anything that you think there's a certain message you really want to get out there, um, or an action that people should do? What do you think from your experience?
Speaker 2 00:35:28 Yeah. You know, uh, a message being able to leave, you know, through COVID Ryan and then me hearing the Galapagos it's we, we really need as humans. Like if you think you were not doing things totally right before, hopefully with all these COVID you realize that there is a lot of ways to improve, but in terms of protecting nature, nature is the, the only thing that is going to give us a quality of life, a better quality of life in the future. Right? Because we're so lucky to live here in a natural area to go out, to have fresh air, you know? Yeah. We do have COVID around, but it's, it's nature. It's clean, it's, it's protected. And people that lost that, those natural areas are you are on a CT. You may be experiencing a different way when we're leaving here, but at the end it's nature is the only thing that is there for us to make our lives better.
Speaker 2 00:36:45 Definitely. You know, there is this beautiful video. I don't know if you saw the documentary of David Attenberg alive on this planet. It's, it's very interesting. Highly recommended that everybody watch that. Yes, I, yeah. He says we're so selfish. Okay. Let's do it because we need it. Right. Because at the end, everything comes to us. Let's take, let's take care of nature because we need it, which shouldn't be like, that happens to me like this. So let's take, I mean, I hope it's not too late yet. Right. Do to experience the world, go in these protected areas, national parks, and always think your impact over the place that you are going and to reduce the impact. We're always going to have an impact, but just reduce it, you know, don't feel guilty, just reduce it and do it in the best way possible in order to give back to nature, what nature has been given us until now.
Speaker 1 00:37:51 So that will be
Speaker 2 00:37:52 My message. You know, I mean, COVID, hopefully will cause a tone point soon. Yeah. We, we still have a whole ride, common BC dies or go to visit other destinations whenever you feel ready. Um, but yeah, nature is so, so amazing with us. Nature has given us so much that we need to start giving back to nature song a little bit. At least
Speaker 1 00:38:18 I couldn't agree with you more, that documentary was the, let's just say it was the final catapult to me actually launching re-weld ology. And it even helped me name this podcast was that particular documentary. Um, so I'm, it's incredible. If, if anybody hasn't watched it yet, it's on Netflix. Um, it might even be on some other channels. I'm not sure, but yeah. Life on planet earth. I'm sure. But I think is what it's called. And it's, um, David Attenborough's witness statement, as he says, um, it's I guess what he calls it. It's just his life being this traveling biologists and everything that he's seen around the world and how much he has seen. And so, yeah, rewilding the planet that came from pretty much him on this. And so, yes, I'm glad you brought that up because he was like the final on, they got me over the hump to launch this podcast. So yeah, no, that's great. Josie. If anybody wants to get ahold of you, what is the best way? Is it through the hotel? Um, or if anybody's really inspired and wants to chat with you, um, what should they do? Should they get ahold of me? Kind of, what do you think?
Speaker 2 00:39:27 I mean, it, my email address, you can write me an email or a WhatsApp. My, well, the email address is called <inaudible> maybe the spelling sometimes it's complicated there, or you just say browse, Galapagos, sweets.com. That's the hotel or my phone number, plus five, nine three nine, nine seven four four eight one one zero. We use WhatsApp. Pyelogram signal anything. That's easy for us. Yeah. I'm going to be hearing the Galapagos leading trips. Hopefully we'll reactivate soon hearing the hotel. Yeah. Anything. Yeah. We're here for you for all of you.
Speaker 1 00:40:15 That's awesome. Josie. That's beautiful. They
Speaker 2 00:40:17 Can get a hold of you and then you get ahold of me.
Speaker 1 00:40:19 Yes. That too. If anybody that, that as well, um, can get ahold of me. I can easily connect to them as well. So, but yeah. And stay at your hotel. If anybody wants to do some more land-based stuff, stay at Josie and her mother's hotel. I'm pretty sure I follow you on Instagram. So cute to see you. So I know you're on Instagram. Um,
Speaker 2 00:40:40 Yeah, recently it started with social media because I didn't know about Instagram and now I know people that are bathing are you, you cannot go to someone and say, Hey, let's go for an ice cream. So I just started with social media.
Speaker 1 00:40:58 Um, yeah. So if anyone goes, go to the hotel and get a hold of Josie, you can connect through me, um, either way, we'll make sure we'll get some people out to you and we'll continue chatting. And I would love to have another chat. Cause I feel like, I mean, I had a whole slew of questions and just like I assumed we only got to like this many, so we'll do
Speaker 2 00:41:17 Another one and maybe like a followup on barcode
Speaker 1 00:41:20 Or something. So this has been amazing, Josie, thank you so much for coming on.
Speaker 2 00:41:26 Thank you, Brooke. Stay safe. Bye everybody. Hey, thanks again for listening
Speaker 1 00:41:31 To this episode of <inaudible>. If you'd like what you heard hit that subscribe button to never miss a future episode. Do you have a cool environmental organization, travel story or research that you'd like to share? Let me know <inaudible> dot com until next time friends together, we will. Rewild the planet.
