Responsible travel: How to be mindful of wildlife as a tourist

However, before jetting off on any adventures, tourists need to educate themselves on how to travel responsibly. Not every opportunity to see wildlife is ethical—some popular tourist attractions can actually do more harm than good. That’s why you should research excursions before participating in tourist activities to ensure you’re aiding conservation efforts, rather than unknowingly harming them. 

What is responsible travel?

Responsible travel is about being aware of the social, economic, and environmental effects of your travel. It’s about understanding the potential impact of your actions on the local communities, wildlife, and ecosystems to make sure it is positive. 

While there is some overlap with eco-tourism—which prioritizes reducing carbon footprints and supporting conservation—the principles of responsible travel go a step further by encouraging travellers to actively engage in practices that support conservation and empower local communities. 

The key principles of responsible travel are:

1. Respect for the environment and local wildlife
2. Economic benefit to local communities
3. Preservation of cultural heritage
4. Personal awareness of environmental impact

Responsible travel does not limit your experience. Instead, it enhances it, opening your eyes to the unique issues faced by wildlife and communities around the world and enabling you to engage with them more deeply than surface-level tourism allows. 

Why is responsible travel important and what are the benefits?

Wildlife tourism can positively contribute to conservation efforts while supporting local communities and economies. Here’s how responsible wildlife tourism benefits animals, people, and the environment.

It supports local communities

Tourism revenue from responsible wildlife activities supports local communities by creating jobs and funding conservation efforts. Communities can reinvest these resources to protect endangered species and preserve natural habitats.

Sharing your experience with others can also increase these organizations’ profiles, helping them raise even more money. 

It boosts wildlife tourism over wildlife crime

Over the years, wildlife criminals have made money off animal exploitation, leading to a steep decline in populations and endangering many species. This is often due to a lack of financial opportunities for local communities. 

Supporting the responsible wildlife tourism industry presents more financial opportunities so that people no longer have to participate in wildlife crime for livelihood but can instead contribute to their conservation.

It protects endangered species

The conservation of endangered species and their natural habitats is costly. It requires financing to employ people to protect animals in their natural habitats and to build sanctuaries to house and rehabilitate rescued animals. 

Supporting conservation charities that do good in the world helps them continue their conservation work. 

It drives national conservation efforts

Tourism makes up a significant share of many countries’ economies. Some countries clear natural habitats to build holiday resorts, hotels, and other tourist attractions. But businesses and governments invest in areas with more demand. So, tourists should travel to conservation-friendly destinations and activities to make conserving natural habitats and wildlife a higher priority for the country. 

However, it’s not enough to just have wildlife tourism. 

When wildlife tourism is not carefully managed, it can lead to exploitative and damaging encounters with wildlife, such as through elephant riding, swimming with dolphins, and more. Travellers who follow responsible practices reduce the risk of disrupting animals or damaging ecosystems.

How to be a responsible traveller: The dos and don'ts

Want to be a responsible traveller that contributes positively to the local wildlife, people, and environment? Here are your guidelines for conscientious tourism. 

1. Don’t visit places where you can have physical contact with captive wild animals

Wildlife is just that, wild life. Too much—if any—direct contact with humans can be damaging to wild animals. Usually, tourist activities that involve direct, physical interaction with wild animals are exploitative.

Swimming with dolphins in captivity, riding elephants, and interacting with big cats are popularized tourist activities that may seem harmless but can actually be cruel to the animals and compromise their welfare. 

It’s also important to be wary of misleading marketing that offers alternatives to problematic activities. For instance, elephant washing (instead of elephant riding) is still unnatural and requires a great level of control over the animals. Mud is also a natural way to cool elephants and protect them from the sun, so constantly washing it off can be harmful. 

Some dolphinariums and aquariums also use greenwashing to trick tourists into thinking they’re ethical. They claim to work as conservation centres despite the vast majority not participating in conservation programs. Rather than trying to increase wild populations of threatened dolphin species, they breed dolphins in captivity with no intention of releasing them. Plus, they usually don’t breed endangered or threatened species.

3. Don’t touch or feed wild animals—for your safety and theirs

When seeing wildlife, it’s best to observe them from afar. Even when animals approach or touch you, it’s best to not touch them as it can be stressful for them, introduce bacteria, and potentially harm their skin. 

Feeding wildlife also does them more harm than good. Food made for human consumption can negatively impact their health, causing them to become unwell. When animals are too dependent on humans for extra food, they can be very aggressive towards them. 

Taking selfies with animals can be very stressful for them too, causing lasting damage. Street hawkers are people who approach tourists with wild animals, such as monkeys or snakes, and ask if they’d like to take a photo with the animals. While it may seem harmless, it is usually illegal, involving some level of cruelty to the animal. It’s unnatural for these animals to be submissive in these interactions, so they’re usually drugged or physically abused into behaving this way. 

4. Do your research to ensure any zoos or sanctuaries you visit are ethical and support rescue and conservation initiatives

Many facilities labelled as ‘sanctuaries’ may not adhere to genuine conservation practices. Reputable sanctuaries would not allow hands-on interactions with wildlife, let alone allow tourists to get too close to the animals.

When researching responsible tourism activities, look for organizations that prioritize animal welfare, actively contribute to conservation efforts, and support animal rehabilitation rather than using them for entertainment. An ethical sanctuary will prioritize rescue and release over display. If they guarantee wildlife sightings, it’s a red flag. This assurance could be a result of ‘provisioning’ in which the organisation feeds the animals to attract them over, which is dangerous for the health and safety of the wildlife.

Learn more about which zoos and sanctuaries are accredited by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and avoid anywhere with reported poor or irresponsible behaviour.

5. Don't forget to check your food

Some traditional dishes around the world include endangered species, such as shark fin soup or bushmeat. Even certain drinks may be rooted in animal cruelty, such as snake wine which involves drowning a snake in alcohol.

Supporting sustainable dining options protects vulnerable species and promotes ethical food sourcing. Consider vegetarian or vegan meals where possible, which reduce your environmental footprint. 

Ethical safaris contribute to conservation by reinvesting tourism profits into local communities and wildlife protection. Look for safari operators who practise sustainable land use and are committed to protecting the animals rather than using them for entertainment. 

7. Don’t touch or walk on coral

Coral reefs are delicate ecosystems that support a wealth of marine life. Walking on or touching coral can lead to long-term damage or even kill the coral. Even a single step can destroy a piece of coral that has taken centuries to form. 

When snorkelling or diving, practise coral-safe techniques to minimize your impact. 

8. Do use reef-safe sunscreen

Certain chemicals in sunscreen are toxic to marine ecosystems, which can lead to coral bleaching. Choose reef-safe sunscreens that don’t contain harmful ingredients like:

• Oxybenzone
• Octinoxate
• Benzophenone-1
• Benzophenone-8
• OD-PABA
• 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor
• 3-Benzylidene camphor
• Octocrylene

Avoiding these ingredients helps to protect coral while you enjoy the experience. 

9. Don’t take animals and plants from their habitats

Removing animals or plants disrupts ecosystems and can negatively impact other species. It may seem harmless, but even moving a tiny rock could disturb a tiny animal’s habitat. Leave natural items as you found them, preserving the environment for wildlife and future generations. 

10. Do follow the rules of national parks and protected areas

National parks are established to protect ecosystems and preserve wildlife. By following park rules, you help maintain these spaces and respect the efforts to protect them. These rules exist to minimize human impact and safeguard natural habitats and the vulnerable species that live there. 

Want to learn more about conservation efforts for the world’s most endangered species? Explore IFAW’s ongoing work and learn how you can support global conservation initiatives.