Endangered Animals, Conservation and Tourism
As a passionate lover of animals and proud supporter of animal protection group such as WSPA and the RSPCA, I was thrilled at Viator’s recent decision not to sell tours involving bull fights in Madrid. Besides the fact that Madrid is full of many fun things to do and countless sights to see, bullfighting is a sport based encouraging cruelty to animals. It may be part of Spanish culture but that does not justify it’s existence in the modern world.
This decision got me to thinking some of the great tours we do offer in various parts of the world that do the opposite and promote education and awareness of the plight of animals in peril. With that in mind it gave me great pleasure to add tours in our newest African destination - Uganda. Ever since Sigourney Weaver portrayed the life and work of Dian Fossey in the 1988 movie Gorillas in the Mist, the plight of these critically endangered primates has been slowly gaining worldwide awareness. It is widely believed there are only about 700 mountain Gorillas left in the wild and they are facing extinction within our lifetime.
One lifeline being thrown to the gorillas is tourism. Loss of habitat through land clearing, illegal poaching for body parts and an ongoing civil war in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (I think that’s its name these days?), have all had a devastating impact on the gorilla population. With strict controls and restrictions placed on visitor numbers, Uganda has found a way to educate the world and provide the local population with an alternate source of income. The popularity of Gorilla trekking safaris is increasing with European and North Americans, so it is in the interest of the Ugandan people to protect our closest relative.
In nearby Kenya, the benefits of animal tourism were recognized some time a go and the country is now THE place to go on an animal safari. As a result the animal population throughout the country is flourishing and the country is reaping the financial rewards. Game parks such as Amboseli and Masaai Mara are protecting the local species from poaching and habitat destruction to ensure the healthy tourism industry also survives.
South Africa are also leading the way in animal conservation with plenty of success stories to tell. In Durban the Hluhluwe Game Reserve launched “Operation Rhino” in the 1950s and ’60s which brought the population back from the brink of extinction. There have been over 10,000 individual White Rhinos relocated from the park to produce one of the most remarkable comebacks in the animal kingdom.
Down south in Cape Town, the hottest day trip would have to be a snorkel or dive with Great White Sharks. While some claim that by attracting the sharks and putting them in contact with humans may increase the number of attacks in the area, no-one can deny the education being provided to thousands of visitors. Fear has placed the Great White Shark on the endangered species list, but giving people the opportunity to safely witness the ocean’s apex predator in its natural habitat is helping to save it.
Staying in the Southern Hemisphere, Australia has long been a leader in animal conservation. If sharks are your thing but the Great Whites of Cape Town sounds a bit extreme, Manly’s Oceanworld offers beginners shark diving with the endangered Grey Nurse sharks - no experience necessary! For certified divers, the aquarium runs a Shark Awareness Program to learn more about this fascinating ocean dweller. Head up to the Gold Coast for a visit to Seaworld and the new Dugong Discovery exhibition, as well as the much-loved residents of Polar Bear Shores. Seaworld is a great educational destination, particularly for the younger generation who will be entrusted with the future of many of the animals they will see at the park.
Crossing the Tasman and arriving in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, you can get experience the bush in the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary either by day or by night. This predator-proof sanctuary is home to many rare and endangered New Zealand species, including the country’s national symbol - the kiwi. Travel on to Akaroa for an unforgettable experience swimming with dolphins. Not only do you get to fantastic experience of sharing the water with the ocean’s most lovable resident, by joining this tour, you are automatically making a donation towards research of Hector Dolphins. As if that’s not enough, the company are the first cruise company worldwide to get the coveted Green Globe 21, an international program to ensure the best environmental practices.
However, the ultimate symbol of threatened wildlife remains the Giant Panda. These beautiful cuddly creatures suffer a similar fate as the Mountain Gorillas due to their home being in an under-developed part of the world where there needs have not always been understood and respected. While the Chinese government’s severe penalties for poaching have made this practice more or less cease, it is loss of habitat that still threatens the Giant Panda. Those responsible for ensuring the survival of this species all agree that education is the most important tool available to help save them from extinction. As a result, these fantastic bears are becoming increasingly more accessible with the Chinese government lending individuals to only 6 highly reputable zoos including San Diego Zoo, Thailand’s Chiang Mai Zoo and Vienna’s Schonbrunn Zoo.
By creating awareness through education there is the chance to do something to help the animals of the world who cannot help themselves, and I am proud to work in an industry that can enable and support this. Not everyone can be out in the field protecting these creatures first hand, but we all have the power to do one small thing that helps create one big change. My favorite quote which sits on my desk to remind me why I do this job is from Senegalese conservationist Baba Dioum:
“For in the end, we will only conserve what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.”
I couldn’t put it any better myself.
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