Wildlife tourism

Wildlife tourism refers to trips to an area to see the animals living there. Examples include African safaris, whale-watching expeditions, and snorkeling excursions along a coral reef. Wildlife tourism began in the 1800s and grew into an industry that supports the economy of many areas around the world.

Many of the earliest wildlife tours focused on hunting exotic animals native to only a few places in the world. However, since the middle of the twentieth century, people have become increasingly aware of the need to protect these animals and their habitats. In contemporary times, income from wildlife tourism often helps support the development and upkeep of habitats for the animals and educational efforts to protect them.

Background

For many centuries, the world’s explorers focused on finding undiscovered lands by sea. Once the Americas and the islands surrounding them were explored and inhabited during the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries, adventure-seekers began to look for new places to explore. One area that attracted a great deal of attention in the second half of the nineteenth century was the inner areas of Africa.

Seafaring explorers had already probed much of the continent’s coastal areas but very little was known about its inner areas. During the latter part of the 1800s, a number of European countries began sending expeditions to explore and colonize the area. Many of these explorers brought back animal trophies—both living and dead—as well as amazing stories about what they had seen across the continent’s varied ecosystems.

The adventures of British explorers Richard Francis Burton (1821–1890), John Hanning Speke (1827–1864), and David Livingstone (1813–1873), German explorer Heinrich Barth (1821–1865), and American explorer Henry Morton Stanley (1841–1904) caught the interest of people in Europe and America. The British upper class was especially fascinated with what they learned about Africa. Traveling there to see the country and its plant and animal life first-hand became a popular activity for wealthy citizens.

Entire industries were created to arrange tours and equip people to go on what became known as safaris. Taken from the language of the African native Swahili people, “safari” means “journey.” The main purpose of these safaris was to capture or kill African lions, rhinoceroses, elephants, and other animals.

These big-game hunting trips continued into the twentieth century. Many of the animal specimens preserved through taxidermy and on display in contemporary museums were gathered during this time. Some were even hunted by US President Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) who took several trips to Africa between 1901 and 1910.

Roosevelt wrote about his adventures and had a keen interest in preserving natural habitats and the animals that lived in them. Gradually, people who traveled to Africa grew more concerned about protecting and preserving the wildlife instead of bringing home animal trophies. By the middle of the twentieth century, as air travel became more available and affordable and people began to have more disposable income, interest in traveling to see and capture photos of these exotic animals grew.

Overview

Any trip taken to observe the animals in an area is considered to be wildlife tourism. This includes all forms of animal life—from fish and birds to larger mammals and reptiles. Wildlife tourism can occur anywhere in the world but is most common in Africa, where it began. Parts of New Zealand and South America are also popular destinations. However, not all wildlife tourism destinations are in warm climates. Alaska and Antarctica are also popular among those who want to experience animal life in unique climates and habitats.

An estimated twelve million wildlife tours are taken each year, and some sources expect this to increase by 3 to 10 percent by 2030. The majority of wildlife tourists are from the United States but others are from Europe, particularly Great Britain and Germany. A significant number of wildlife tourists are from Canada and Australia.

Many of the trips are taken by those over the age of fifty-five. However, wildlife tourists come from all age groups and backgrounds because so many types of tours are available. Accommodations can range from rustic campsites to luxury suites built specifically to cater to wildlife tourism. For example, an African safari can range in price from under $200 per night to nearly $2,000 per night, depending on the accommodations, amenities, and type of tour.

In addition to the excitement wildlife tourism provides to the participants, it also significantly benefits a local economy. Jobs are created in wildlife refuges as well as in the related hospitality and retail businesses in the area. Wildlife tourism also increases awareness of the need to protect endangered species. In some cases, seeing the greater financial benefits to be gained from tourism has encouraged locals to help put an end to hunting and poaching that has endangered animals. For example, when people in Kenya realized how important living rhinos and elephants were to their economy and financial security, the number of animals poached decreased significantly.

Wildlife tourism can create some problems, however. The demand for tours in some areas is very high; so many people taking tours can be a hazard to the animals there. This can happen because of the construction of hotels and other amenities to accommodate the tourists, increased pollution from additional vehicles, and the presence of so many people in animals’ habitats. Some highly desirable destinations are taking steps to control this by limiting the number of people who can come to an area at once and the length of their stay. Other precautions are also taken to protect the animals from human intrusions that can harm them. For example, people on trips to see sharks in the wild should not be allowed to feed them. Feeding them encourages the animals to come closer to the shorelines and endangers people in those areas, causing some sharks to be killed.

Despite these potential dangers, experts see wildlife tourism as a viable way to help protect many animal species. Responsible tour operators and tourists should respect and protect the animals and their habitats. First-hand exposure to these animals can also raise awareness of their needs, which increases the likelihood that steps will be taken to preserve them for future generations.

Bibliography

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“Great Explorers: Africa.” Pilot Guides, www.pilotguides.com/articles/great-explorers-africa/. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

How Much Does an African Safari Cost?” Safari Bookings, www.safaribookings.com/how-much-does-an-african-safari-cost. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

“How Tourism Benefits Nature and Wildlife.” Sustainable Travel International, 26 June 2020, sustainabletravel.org/how-tourism-benefits-nature-and-wildlife/. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

“Our Stance on Wildlife—Responsible Tourism Issues.” Responsible Travel, www.responsiblevacation.com/copy/responsible-tourism-issues-our-stance-on-wildlife. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Scanlon, John. “The World Needs Wildlife Tourism. But That Won’t Work Without Wildlife.” Guardian, 22 June 2017, www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/22/the-world-needs-wildlife-tourism-but-that-wont-work-without-wildlife. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

“Wildlife Tourism.” One Caribbean, www.onecaribbean.org/content/files/Wildlife.pdf. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.