How to Become a More Ethical, Conservation-Minded Traveler

Happy National Wildlife Week! We love animals – they’re amazing – and a lot of other travelers feel the same way. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, wildlife tourism, which includes activities ranging from snorkeling to observing elephants (both on a safari or at the Smithsonian Zoo), is a multi-billion dollar industry that supports almost 22 million jobs globally. Yet unfortunately, knowing whether or not the animals that we love are suffering for our entertainment isn’t always a simple task – and there is more to it than just swearing off circuses, elephant rides, lion selfies, and tiger petting.

But there is good news, we can influence the global market by engaging in ethical/responsible tourism in a way that both benefits wildlife and local communities. Read on for seven simple ways that you can become a more ethical conservation-minded traveler and ensure that animals are protected when you encounter them.

Do Your Research:

Knowledge is power. So many travelers engage in unethical behaviors, not because they don’t care about animals, but because they don’t know that their actions are causing harm. By doing research ahead of time, you can be prepared to make ethical choices both before and during your travel experience. Also, this tip is two-fold: you should gain an understanding of both the animal that you are hoping to encounter and the companies who provide said encounters.

Learn about the animal(s) that you’re hoping to encounter. What threats do they face? Are they a threatened or endangered species? Will said encounter cause them stress or harm or damage their habitat? What laws are in place when it comes to encountering them in the wild? When it comes to viewing marine wildlife, see NOAA’s guidelines here.

Be sure to follow laws on distances to stay away from wild animals. These can vary from 20 feet to 50 yards depending on if the animal is on land or in the water and whether or not they are endangered.

Before embarking on a curated experience with wildlife, read the reviews of all of the companies providing the service or tour. Be sure to take a close look at reviews with one and two stars, as animal welfare concerns are often raised within them. Browse photos included in the reviews and look for clean facilities where animals look well-fed, have proper access to water, and aren’t chained, or being touched by tourists.

Follow All Posted Rules:

Popular beaches and other outdoor spaces are habitat for native plants and wildlife species. Remember when you are visiting, that you are entering the habitat of wild animals and should do your best to protect it. Simple ways to do so include staying on all hiking trails and being sure not to disturb protected habitat areas – for example, never walk on or disturb sand dunes, pick plants, or remove sea shells or anything else from the environment. Also, be sure to follow all posted signs about nesting areas, tide pools, and space requirements for coastal species and their habitats.

If swimming or snorkeling, always be sure your sunscreen is reef-safe, and never swim towards, startle, touch, or feed wild animals. If an animal decides to come near you, remain calm but still be mindful not to touch, startle, or add any unwanted stress.

Signs like this are common on beaches in Oahu where endangered/endemic Hawaiian Monk Seals like to bask. Be sure to always obey these signs and respect coastal species and their habitats.

Avoid Interaction & Prioritize Observation:

Look for experiences that allow you to observe animals in their natural habitats from a safe distance. For example, instead of looking for an opportunity to swim with dolphins in captivity, opt to go on an ethical whale watching excursion instead (find tips to ethically watch whales here). By prioritizing observation over interaction, you are ensuring that the animals that you love are able to carry out their daily lives naturally and without stress and disruption.

Check for Certifications:

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council certifies companies based on their sustainable management practices, socioeconomic impacts, cultural impacts, environmental impacts, and the UN is working on scaling up Costa Rica’s successful Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) to make it fully implementable in other countries. Trustworthy, local sustainable certification programs also exist worldwide. Choosing to use a certified tour operator, not only helps protect animals, it also helps to change the industry overall.

In some places, you can also help contribute to the sustainable certification process as well. If you are living in or visiting Hawai’i for example, you can become a Pono Traveler and participate in the recertification process of tour operators certified by the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaiʻi by acting as a “secret shopper” and evaluating tours for authenticity, quality of information, safety, & enjoyableness.

Volunteer:

Sanctuaries, rehabilitation centers, and research facilities can serve as venues for you to ethically interact with animals who need your support and allow you to do so under the guidance of experts in the field. Again, do your research before signing up for any volunteer programs to make sure that the facility is both certified and helping animals.

Another way to help the animals that you’re encountering is to research local habitat conservation opportunities. Check to see if these organizations are hosting any service events and volunteer at a beach clean-up, tree planting, or invasive species removal during your trip. 

We recently volunteered at a clean-up on O’ahu and sifted sand to help rid the beach of microplastic.

Donate to Support Conservation:

You can help the species you encounter by donating to their conservation. The World Wildlife Fund for example offers symbolic species adoptions and will send you a cute stuffed animal in exchange for your donation.

Use Your Voice:

Your review or social media post discussing your experiences with wildlife have influence and can significantly help to promote sustainable and humane companies as well as pressure unethical companies to change their ways.

Also be sure to NEVER post a photo of a wild animal that is being treated as a pet. Photos like these have been shown to increase poaching, especially of wild birds, reptiles, and small mammals like hedgehogs. 

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When engaged in ethically, wildlife tourism can have a significant impact on species, communities, and travelers. In the words of David Attenborough, “No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.” We hope these tips empower you to seek out experiences with the wild animals of our world, and to do so a bit more ethically.