This study abroad course is complementary to materials learned in Biology 430 (a spring term prerequisite for this course). The course includes international travel where students will have the opportunity to observe, and describe biogeographical principles, with an emphasis on island and tropical biogeography. While in Ecuador we will focus our activities in the high Andres, Amazon basin, cloud forests, and the Galapagos Islands. Students will engage in research projects and conduct floral and fauna surveys/inventories in conjunction with faculty and researchers from several University and conservation programs. Students will study/observe vegetation, wildlife, and human cultures and synthesize how each are molded by the environment in which they are found.

**COVID-19 Notice**
Travel and Entry Requirements: Each country has established entry requirements and travel restrictions set for foreign visitors and their citizens. The Study Abroad Office is monitoring the policies of many countries to advise students for study abroad. Any country can change their regulations at any time. We encourage all students and their families to monitor the situation in the location(s) to assess if they wish to continue with study abroad. To view the current COVID-19 response for a specific country, we recommend starting with the U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov) and the U.S. Embassy COVID-19 webpage for the country or countries of interest.

Vaccination Requirement: Christopher Newport University requires students to have the COVID-19 vaccination. The Study Abroad Office will assume each student has been vaccinated when advising, so students must tell the office staff if they are not vaccinated. Many countries have opened their borders to vaccinated travelers with continued levels of on the ground preventative measures (masking, distancing, etc.). An unvaccinated student may be able to travel, but there could be additional testing requirements, quarantine time during arrival, and/or there may be restrictions to certain group activities. In some cases, an unvaccinated student may not be permitted to enter a country. There is a cost for testing, quarantine time, and/or early arrival for quarantine, which may differ by location. Any costs associated with traveling as an unvaccinated person will be an out of pocket expense for the student. Christopher Newport University will not cover the costs associated with these expenses.



**Passport Notice**
Application & Renewal: The U.S. State Department is backlogged with passport application and renewals. The routine processing time is currently up to 18 weeks and expedited services is up to 12 weeks. We highly recommend apply or renewing your passport as soon as possible. Most countries require at least 6 months remaining time on your passport expiration from your intended date of departure. Example: If your passport expires December 1, 2022, you would need to renew your passport to travel in the summer 2022.