Wildlife Tourism

Wildlife tourism is a good way to get to experience nature without going to zoos. It offers a more immersible experience with nature and it's a chance to watch all sorts of local fauna and flora as well as observe behaviours that you might not observe in the wild. On the other hand it's a wild card, never knowing if you are going to get what you want and when you want it. Due to it being summer time and prime vacation time I want to talk to you about whether or not you should practise wildlife tourism.

First things first wildlife tourism supports the animals in their natural habitats. As in any other industry, animals that attract tourists build an industry around them. Hotels and shops are built to cater for the tourists as well as make a profit from them(which doesn't mean it's bad. It is a business, it needs to make profit). These hotels,hostels, wildlife tour guides and all the relevant businesses that build up from wildlife tourism all depend on tourists being present in the area, spending time in the area and more importantly spending money. By visiting these areas not only do you get to visit scenery and watch animals but you are also supporting local businesses. These businesses in turn might advocate for conservation or against plans that could potentially ruin their business. For example: With recent events regarding the wolf removal from the endangered species list and the opening of hunting seasons a lot of people are worried about their business. They are worried that if too many wolves are seen shot, trapped or dead that the public will refrain from visiting and not only that, if wolf numbers decline and the visibility of animals is decreased then the public will probably shift their attention to a place where visibility is still high and hence local businesses will suffer.

Secondly it's an experience that is multi layered. What I mean is that it's not just a trip to the zoo, look at the animals and go. Odds are that when you go on vacation you visit a place with a specific purpose in mind. Whether that is to spot a rare bird, catch a glimpse of a bear or tick off the Big Five, anyone that goes off to visit a country for wildlife will have something they would like to see. However as I said above you won't see just that. By taking a Jeep for a safari to go watch lions you also appreciate the local fauna and flora and something else might catch your interest while you are there. In these areas, smaller animals and interesting plants are often neglected in favour of large mammals that are often rarer to watch. However on the ride/hike there and on the waiting time for the animals to show up, nature will intrigue you or your family. A small rustle in the bushes, a raptor flying up high or small mammal peaking or running away from you are experiences you won't get anywhere else. For that experience alone wildlife tourism is worth it. If you went tiger watching but your eye caught a glimpse of a beautiful bird, you might ask your guide about it and find out that the bird is rare and endangered. Bits and pieces of knowledge will flow through you and at the end, what first started as a tiger watch became an overall appreciation for the habitat and the residents there. This is what I enjoy about wildlife tourism. You learn and appreciate the habitat and observe different animals apart from the ones you came to see and learn more about them.

It's not a guaranteed experience however. Depending on where you are going, what you want to watch and the time of the year you have to understand that animals can be elusive. Just because you are visiting a National Park or a Reserve does not mean you will actually see the animals you want to see. Usually the locals tend to know what you want and hence will take you to the favourable spots that you can find the animals you seek. However depending on a lot of factors you might spend your holiday not even catching a glimpse of the animal you wish to see. So my advise will be to do some research first. Find all the hotspots, best seasons to visit and good rated guides for hire. All of these will increase your chance of seeing what you visited to see. However it is better off that you don't raise your expectations too high. Pick a location you can visit but don't spend all your time chasing the animal around. Plan your holiday to include other activities. Try and combine a few animals in one trip. If they are in the same environment you are likely to encounter animals that you might have missed before. One example is people visiting Yellowstone National Park. People who go wolf watching have often glimpsed on grizzlies, mountain lions,mouse, elk and all the fauna of Yellowstone in search for wolves. In a twist you might not see wolves until you decide to go watch grizzles and wolves might appear. It is a natural habitat, nothing sets up scenes for you and a lot of the encounters with wild animals often happen when no one is expecting it. So prepare a series of outings, do your research and hopefully you will see what you went there to see.

It takes time. Wildlife holidays have to have a long span. You can visit a reserve in three days for example, however you might want to maximise the experience due to the elusive nature of animals. Usually , depending on the visibility of animals, a wildlife holiday lasts about two weeks to a month unless you happen to be a local in which case you can arrange for a weekend and always return whenever you can. But for people who travel halfway through the globe to see animals then maximizing your trip is important to getting the experience you would like. In addition to that it is really rare that animals will appear on the spot you are watching on the clock. You will probably have to wait some time and be patient in order for you to see animals.

It takes effort. There will be a lot of moving around either with a car or hiking. People who have been on such trips will often tell you that when an animal is spotted it goes on the radio and you have to dash around to go see it. More often than not, wild animals are seen in the early morning or the late afternoon and even at night time so be be prepared to lose sleep and be exhausted by the end of the trip.

There are currently very few studies to see how wildlife tourism actually affects wild animals. Do they become habituated to humans? Do boats, even when they keep their distance, stress animals out? Although most tourists will try to minimize their impact on the habitat they are visiting, we are learning new things about how nature works every day. It could be very likely that at one point on we find that the whales we have been watching all these years are more and more stressed due to our activities. Some forms of wildlife tourism such as dolphin swimming or fish feeding have been under criticism by scientists by causing disturbance and/or habituating animals to human presence which could create problems. In fact some shark attacks on divers are thought to have occurred by sharks who have been fed by previous diving groups and hence became used to human contact and presence.

Overall however a wildlife holiday is a great experience. Not only does it support local businesses and a sector of the tourism that could advocate for conservation but it also provides experiences often lost while gazing at animals at the zoo. It makes you appreciate a habitat and teaches you things you never knew. So long as you respect the habitat and the animals living there you should enjoy them as much as possible and learn everything you can.