Wildlife-friendly tourism: what you need to know
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As the holiday season approaches, many tourists are planning trips to explore nature. While planning itineraries and booking accommodations seem to be obvious routine tasks, getting to know how to treat the natural environment is less frequent on the to-do lists. Popular tourist destinations are home to various species, and it's our responsibility to ensure that we don't disturb or unintentionally harm them while enjoying our vacations.
When we talk about wildlife conservation while travelling, many might think of safari rides or similar activities. Big jeeps, marvellous landscapes, real wild animals at arm's length. In recent years, there have been devastating news reports due to tourist actions.
One example occurred when visitors to Yellowstone National Park in the US rescued a bison calf they believed to be cold. The rangers tried to reunite the calf with its mother, but she rejected it due to human interference. As a result, the calf was abandoned and began approaching people and cars, causing dangerous situations. The park rangers had to euthanise the bison. Such seemingly harmless and good intentions of tourists led to the death of an animal.
The number one principle of travelling is being prepared. Before going on a trip, do some research about wildlife you may encounter in the area, ask questions to the locals or employees of parks and conservation areas. Be aware of protected areas nearby and follow their guidelines.
Taking pictures is a common part of travelling, but it can also entail dangerous consequences for animals. Tourists forget that they should not touch wild animals as it can also result in a fatal experience for the species. Unfortunately, there have been incidents with dolphins over the past few years: a dolphin calf died after people were taking pictures with it on the beach in Spain. As a marine rescue wildlife group reported, the reason was stress which caused a cardiorespiratory failure.
The second principle is to respect wildlife. Avoid disturbing animals and their habitats. If you see a wild animal, observe it from a distance without causing additional unnecessary stress. It also relates to exploring wildlife while diving or snorkelling – do not touch fish and avoid stepping on coral.
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While some tourist attractions indeed involve petting, feeding or riding animals, tourists should be careful in choosing such destinations. Make sure these animals were born in captivity or rescued and strictly follow all the rules of interacting with such animals. Sadly, there were some cases, for example, in Thailand, when after being fed by tourists an elephant got poisoned and died. It was an unfortunate accident – the bananas that were given had been treated with ethylene gas. It is not dangerous for humans but can be lethal for elephants.
The third principle is to avoid feeding wild animals. If it is allowed by employees or signs, use only the food offered by this designated area.
There are also a number of other principles to follow to reduce stress to wildlife while travelling. Among others these are reducing waste, trying voluntourism or local traveling. You can find some ideas in the Leave No Trace Principles and A Guide to Responsible Travel by WFA.
And travelling is not always about danger to wildlife. In fact, it can help the world's protected areas in generating income and, correspondingly, supporting animals, including endangered species. Every year more than 8 bln people travel to protected areas spending around $850 bln. Being a tourist without causing any disturbance to wildlife is quite easy if you follow the principles listed above. And if you would like to make your impact on protecting animals even bigger, support our projects at the Wildlife Forensic Fund. We bring together knowledge, expertise, capacity, and innovation to combat wildlife crime.
