HARMFUL WILDLIFE INTERACTIONS
Harmful Wildlife Interactions
Hiking, diving, and many other tourism activities take place in beautiful, yet sensitive environments. Such activities often involve close-up encounters with local wildlife. When tourists and operators exhibit careless behavior when visiting these places, they pose a risk to animals and their habitats. We work to minimize the impacts of tourism on wild places and creatures, and promote responsible interactions with wildlife.
Physical Impacts
Hikers who wander off of established trails may trample vegetation or cause erosion. Unsustainable marine tourism practices, such as kicking coral or anchoring on fragile areas, can damage coral reefs. Overtourism only exacerbates these impacts by putting too much pressure.
Wildlife Disturbances
When tourists visit wildlife areas, their actions can disturb the animals that live there and affect their ability to survive. Touching or feeding animals can make them sick, while noisy tourist vehicles may scare animals away. Even bright lights can disorient turtles that come to nest on the beach.
Unethical Attractions
While there are many ethical wildlife tourism experiences, there are certain tours and attractions that cause suffering to animals. Animals are captured from the wild, kept in filthy living conditions, and forced to behave in unnatural ways – all to meet the demands of tourists.
Responsible Wildlife Tourism Tips
How We Safeguard Nature
Discover what we’re doing to protect nature and minimize tourism’s impacts on environments and wildlife.
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