Swimming with dolphins, cuddling a tiger cub, taking selfies with a baby orangutan, riding an elephant… Experiences with exotic animals have become a popular tourist trend. Who wouldn’t want to impress colleagues or friends with unique vacation photos and stories? However, not everyone realizes that sharing these posts on social media can have dire consequences, not only for the individual animal but potentially for the entire species. Entire groups of primates might be killed to capture their babies, lion or cheetah cubs are often used for cuddling sessions only to be later hunted as trophies in closed reserves. In many cases, even the basic needs for space or food for these animals are not met. Additionally, the “training” methods are often extremely painful and traumatizing for the animals.
To raise awareness of wildlife tourism issues, Liberec Zoo has prepared a guide for responsible tourists. In six short chapters (Cetaceans, Primates, Elephants, Big Cats, Reptiles, Birds), the guide highlights the problems associated with the use of wild animals in tourism and gives advice on how to distinguish between business attractions and activities that might actually help to conserve the species. It is possible to enjoy amazing experiences with animals without causing them harm.
Bring positive experiences with animals back home with you, which will have a positive impact on their lives and their future too!
Basic Rules for Responsible Tourists:
- Avoid tourist attractions that offer direct contact with animals (petting, feeding).
- Beware of facilities that only show young animals.
- Avoid wild animal shows.
- Avoid activities that involve animal fighting.
- Do not take photos with wild animals and post them on social media. Especially not with young ones!
- When photographing, give animals their space, do not chase them, do not push them into a situations where they cannot escape.
- Do not encourage activities where there is no safe barrier between you and the animal.
- Animals in wildlife parks should have minimal contact with visitors.
- Be careful when buying souvenirs and food from unknown exotic sources.
- Do not feed animals, not even street animals.
- If in doubt, do not do it/refuse to participate.
- Share your experiences on social media responsibly, considering the significant influence these platforms have on public opinion.
The guide was published in 2023 by the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague in cooperation with Zoo Liberec, with financial support from the Ministry of the Environment (MŽP/2023/630/1620).
Would you like to help us spread the word about the guide? We would be happy to send it to you more information or provide you printable versions in Czech, English, or Indonesian. If interested, please contact Petra Bolechová (bolechova@zooliberec.cz) or Adéla Hemelíková (hemelikova@zooliberec.cz).
