Wildlife Tourism – Promoting Attitudes, Awareness and ConservationBy Celeste Sharp - 03 September 2009
Non-consumptive wildlife-oriented recreational (NCWOR) tourism is an ever-growing segment of the tourism industry. The global market size of wildlife tourism today is an estimated 12 million trips annually, and is growing at 10% per annum. It is popular and usually generates significant economic benefits. This is incredible important because these benefits build political support for the conservation of wildlife species. This is particularly relevant when public money has to be spent on their conservation, when land has to be set aside for their preservation or the conservation programme impedes other human activities. However, apart from the economic benefits NCWOR tourism generates, it also imparts conservation and educational benefits to visitors by providing a first-hand experience of viewing wildlife in its natural surroundings. This in turn has been proven to benefit the conservation; improving financial contributions made for the conservation of the species being viewed. Thus, wildlife tourism can help promote and increase contributions to conservation and environmental causes. Studies suggests that ecotourism has a positive effect on visitors contributions to environmental organisations, helps strengthen pro-conservation attitudes towards the protection of species and encourages tourists to take positive actions to help conserve them. A survey, conducted on tourists visiting Mon Repos Conservation Park in Queensland showed that seeing sea turtles in a natural setting at Mon Repos was very effective in increasing the willingness of tourists to pay for the conservation of sea turtles. The study also suggested this would not have been nearly as effective if the setting was an unnatural habitat such as a zoo. Another factor to increasing contribution was the education visitors had about the conservation. The more visitors knew about the conservation process and problems facing the species, the more inclined they were to contribute more money to the cause. If you enjoy wildlife tourism, here are a few tips for wildlife conservation while you are traveling. Although companies do their best to ensure wildlife tourism doesn’t disturb the animals, visitors must work proactively to maintain this evasiveness. Try not to disturb the wildlife. Disturbing animals from feeding, breeding or resting can cause the animal may avoid their preferred feeding grounds and be forced to less productive sites, risking their health. Frighten an infant away from its mother, or frighten the mother enough to flee without her infant, and they may not re-establish contact. Always, take advice from trained guides and follow their instructions. Guides give tours and follow their routes regularly and know how close they can safely approach without disturbing the wildlife. Never feed the wildlife. Indiscriminate feeding can Increase aggressive or predatory species at the expense of others. You may also satisfy animals’ appetites with inappropriate foods causing malnutrition. Furthermore the animals may become aggressive when the next traveler does not feed them. If you are visiting a national park, be very careful at dawn and duskwhen many animals are especially active and visibility is poor. Always take your rubbish out with you. This should be a standard rule whether you go. Rubbbish can cause disease and injury to wildlife. Finally report any breaches of wildlife conservation or animal welfare tothe appropriate officials, police or animal welfare organization.
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