Imagine a world without any of the wild animals that you see today! No brave lions, no cunning foxes, no fierce tigers, no big whales, no mighty gorillas, no mischievous monkeys, no sleepy koalas, no slithering snakes-nothing at all!
Unimaginable, right? But many of our activities are bringing us toward that doomsday.
As per the research communities, human activities have resulted in over 60% of the world's wildlife habitats declining within just the last 50 years.
Also, roughly 30000 species are threatened with extinction on an annual basis.
Responsible Wildlife Tourists can play a vital role to prevent these losses.
In today's article, I am trying to list down some responsibilities that a wildlife tourist should have.
What is Wildlife & Why is it Important?
Many of us still don't fully comprehend the term "wildlife." So before I start discussing wildlife tourism and being a responsible wildlife tourist, I would like to start a bit with the definition and importance of Wildlife.
Wildlife refers to all the animal and plant species that have not been fostered, domesticated or provided with training by human beings.
Importance of Wildlife
I can not list down all the positive impacts because then it will be a never-ending list. In a single sentence, Humans can't survive without wildlife on Earth. We are just a small part of a large ecosystem. Any damage in this ecosystem directly impacts us in many ways.
What is Wildlife Tourism?
Wildlife Tourism refers to the observation and engagement of human beings with species of plants and animals in their native wild habitat, such as safaris, sea diving, birdwatching, whale and dolphin observation, etc. in well-protected and conserved areas.
Providing tourists with profound psychological benefits such as the sense of joy, satisfaction, and gratification as a result of their native animal interactions
Making students and visitors aware of native species and their economic and environmental needs to coexist with them sustainably.
Who is a Responsible Wildlife Tourist?
Now let us discuss the concept of Responsible Wildlife Tourists.
Responsible Wildlife Tourists refers to someone who does the following:
Travels without having a significant negative impact on nature, animals, or local communities, and contributes to conservation.
Attempts to reduce or even control the harmful effects of travel.
Is conscious of their opinions, behaviour, and activities.
Respects the people, local community, traditions, spaces for wild animals and plants, and surroundings of the locations they visit.
Motivate wildlife conservation and restoration.
Wildlife Conservation
Wildlife Conservation refers to the Preservation of better and healthier animals and their populations via the protection of wild lifeforms and their habitat.
Wildlife conservation can indeed be split into two categories:
In-situ Conservation: This sort of wildlife conservation refers to the preservation of habitat types, organisms, and biodiversity in their natural habitats. Naturally occurring phenomena and interactions, as well as biodiversity aspects, are preserved in this.
Ex-situ Conservation: Since in-situ conservation is often not conceivable due to habitats being deteriorated or fighting for land requiring life forms to be relocated to save them, ex-situ conservation is done. It refers to the preservation of species' diversity attributes outside of their native ecosystems. Ex-situ conservation can be found in zoos, seed banks, beautiful botanical gardens, etc.
It is important to have a highly effective conservation project which will be used to protect and improve natural habitats because of the following reasons:
By preserving and protecting wildlife and forests, we ensure that all of the wide and varied species of plants and animals remain alive, reproduce, and thrive.
Conservation forests are also critical for ecological integrity and stability as it provides habitat for animals and is an essential element for balancing food chains and food webs.
Duties of Responsible Wildlife Tourists
As responsible wildlife tourists, the activities we do will affect social, economic, and environmental aspects. As a result, we must strive to have a positive effect on our visited destination. There are numerous ways to be a responsible tourist. Here I list some of them;
Maintain Distance with the Wildlife so that animals are not frightened, angered, or disturbed.
Try to avoid any sort of interaction with wildlife that involves stroking, touching, riding, or even observing animals being forced or even lashed to perform.
Do not follow animals that are running, creeping, crawling, swimming, or flying.
Do not scare, call out to, or even tempt animals with food.
Avoid any loud or noisy activities.
Avoid Taking Selfies with Animals To ensure the safety of the tourists, many of these animals are often drugged or have gone through constant strict training.
Shop With Extreme Care Never, buy wildlife souvenirs produced by animals in the wild. Examples of such items can be traditional medicines or ivory and coral ornaments. Don't be fooled into thinking that because the animal or plant is now dead, it can't hurt you or the wildlife in any way. Purchasing such stuff will only inspire future deals while also encouraging suppliers to hunt down, capture, or even kill more living creatures.
Do Not Dirty the Place! If you can't see a nearby waste bin, keep your junk in your backpack or pouch.
Carry anything you brought with you back to your home, including battery packs, plastic packaging, or containers.
Rather than purchasing plastic bottles at each tourist attraction, take with you a refillable water bottle which can be filled with filtered water when you go.
Preventing the use of plastic straws, which add a significant amount of waste to the ocean's waters. (Use a metal straw instead, or simply don't use a straw.)
When going to the ocean or beaches, use reef-safe sunscreen because regular sunscreen contains elements which are harmful to fish and coral if they get mixed with the water.
Respect & Support the Native Residents
It is essential to conduct research before travelling to know about the surroundings and the people living nearby. This would help you avoid doing anything that might offend the native people. If possible, learn their language beforehand so that you can also educate them on wildlife conservation.
Show your appreciation for them and their customs and traditions.
Always take permission before you take their photographs.
Purchase merchandise from locally run shops and stalls.
Take professional Guidance When touring a wildlife habitat, you should go along with a qualified and experienced guide. They will be capable of ensuring your safety as well as the animals' well-being.
Let's Wind Up! Travel and tourism are effective economic sources. It accounts for more than ten percent of global economic GDP and employs lakhs of people. However, due to the carelessness of many people, animals and plants are getting harmed unnecessarily. For this reason, we must become responsible wildlife tourists and make a meaningful contribution to wildlife conservation!
I hope I have been able to convey the meaning of wildlife tourism, wildlife conservation as well as the importance of being a responsible wildlife tourist. Let's together preserve and protect these beautiful wild animals and habitats so that the next generations are never deprived of them.
By Priyanka Biswas
She is a content writer and an avid traveller. She loves to write about various topics. She cares for Nature and sustainability.
