I am not here to shout, judge or belittle anyone. I have always believed that education is key, and when it comes to animal welfare that's my jam.
It's very easy to partake in animal abuse nowadays, with most people not even realising they're doing it. So I'm here to educate, spread the word and share my knowledge and opinions in the hopes my readers will make better choices in the future.
Why listen to me
If you've been here a while or know me well, you will know that for the past 10+ years I've dedicated all my time to animals. I've graduated in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, first class with honours. I've worked as a zookeeper, I've volunteered at rescue sanctuaries, I've volunteered with rescued domestic animals and I've had two of my studies into animal behaviour published in a British zookeeping journal.
This doesn't mean I know it all. By far. I'm just a wee baby in the animal welfare world, but this is something I am dedicated to and passionate about. This also doesn't mean that I'm perfect. I've made mistakes but I've learnt from them.
So now I want to talk about the most common animal based tourist attractions that people will partake in without realising the ethical dilemmas.
Elephants
YES I HAVE BATHED AND WALKED ELEPHANTS.
I just want to get that out there. If you follow me on Instagram you would have seen the disclaimer that came with the posts from my time at the Thai Elephant home and South African sanctuary.
In Thailand I travelled with a company so they booked all the activities. They assured me it was ethical but I obviously did my own research. The Elephant home we visited is very proudly chain, whip and saddle free. The Elephants were not forced to do anything (a few times I noticed the handlers encouraging the elephants to pose for pictures - I said to one handler that it was okay, if the elephant didn't want to be in the picture he didn't have to be). The Elephants were rescued from the logging trade/entertainment trade and unfortunately cannot be released back into the wild (due to health issues, lack of suitable/sustainable environment etc). The home was seen as a retirement for Elephants.
Personally I was happy, ethically, with this Elephant home and the activities they offered.
When looking for Elephant based tourist attractions please look for places that DON'T chain the Elephants, don't offer rides or use force on the animals. To ensure you are booking ethically, research fully into the place you are looking at. Go deep into their social medias, reviews and website. It's never a waste of time.
Do: look for CHAIN FREE, read reviews, contact the company, encourage others to do the same
Don't: ride an Elephant just for the instagram pictures, allow an Elephant to be forced into a picture with you or an activity with you, feel rude for speaking up about the handling methods (even at an ethical sanctuary)
Ethical concerns: Elephants used for tourism are sometimes kept in bad conditions, limited space and limited access to conspecifics. They are kept chained up and forced to perform for tourists (whether that's posing for pictures, bathing or riding). The training methods the Elephants are subject to are unethical due to the use of pain as punishment. This is why we encourage you to research into ethical sanctuaries.
Monkeys
Yes I have also interacted with my fair share of primates...
I enjoyed the monkey forest immensely in Ubud. I went in with my own strict rules to follow, along with the forests rules. I was not going to reach out to the animals, I was not going to touch the animals and I was not going to pay for a selfie with the monkeys. Whilst I was at the forest, I had a monkey jump on me and climb up my arm, I had a monkey grab my phone, hand, arm and finger and a monkey jumped onto Tim's lap and sat there happily grooming away. Yes I took pictures of these moments, yes I posted them with a disclaimer and no that does not go against my personal ethics. I watched people pay for posed pictures with the monkeys where the guides teased the animals with peanuts to get them to pose the right way. That goes against my personal ethics. I won't pay money to force an animal into a situation.
There are also situations where primates are stolen from the wild and used as photo props.
I have seen it before, Capuchins and Macaques kept on a chain and forced to sit on people's shoulders for pictures. Usually coming with a heafty price tag for tourists. These animals are kept in small cages, fed an unsuitable diet and forced to pose for pictures for hours on end under the boiling hot sun.
I have volunteered with primates rescued from conditions like these and it is heart breaking.
Do: tell the person you do not want a picture, keep your distance, discourage your family and friends from partaking in it, follow all the rules when visiting animal inhabited areas
Don't: approach the person aggressively, shout or be abusive, try to rescue the monkey, touch the monkeys, feed the monkeys
Ethical concerns: Humans are full of diseases that can be easily passed on to primates and vice versa. This is why I highly recommend you do not touch them. Exchanging money for a forced animal selfie/picture implies that the animal is just a profitable prop. To ensure decent welfare, the animal must be able to express natural behaviour which it cannot do it it is chained up or being teased with a food item. Be considerate of the animals mental state and physical health.
Multiple wild primates are killed in order to capture a live one. They are often captured at a young age so they can be manipulated easier, this means shooting the mother and stealing the young.
Unfortunately this is a legitimate way to make an income for these people. They have families to feed and support. The best way to combat things like this is to support charities that work directly with locals in countries like these to educate them and help them find alternative methods of income. There have been multiple cases of hunters turning to trackers or safari leaders in Africa because they have the skills to find these animals so why not utilise them!
Sea turtles, Whales, Sharks etc
The ocean is a beautiful place. A never ending mysterious world waiting to be explored but you must be respectful!
Ive snorkelled on multiple occasions now and each time I try my absolute best to be respectful to the ocean. On guided tours the guides will always tell you to not touch anything in the water (animals, coral, chains, anchors etc) and not to crowd an animal when one is located. I highly advise you follow the guides instructions. Some of my snorkelling trips have ended with cuts, bruises and tears due to me being pushed into rocks and smacked in the face with flippers from other people forcing their way to the animal. It's not necessary, be respectful, don't touch anything and admire the animal from afar.
Do: take pictures, admire the animal from a distance, admire the coral and underwater world, move out the way for the animal, always ensure the animal has an exit path
Don't: crowd the animal, hurt others or yourself trying to get closer to the animal, touch the animal, touch the coral, take coral or shells from the ocean
Ethical concerns: coral is very delicate, it breaks easily and dies easily. When snorkelling you should avoid touching and standing on it as this will have detrimental affects on the coral. Coral provides an ecosystem for many sea animals and is a very important component of life in the ocean.
These animals are wild and you are in their habitat. They deserve to be treated with respect at all times. Humans carry lots of diseases that can be passed on via touch, so please don't touch the animals. Unnecessary stress can be caused by over crowding an animal which is why you should always ensure the animal has a clear exit route and you are distancing yourself from them.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to animal tourism but I hope it's provided alternative opinions and ideas for you to explore. Like I said earlier, I am not perfect and I have made mistakes. I am not here to judge anyone or make you feel belittled. I want to explain why these tourist attractions aren't ethically sound so that you have all the information you need when booking your next trip.
I hope you enjoyed this blog! Follow along for more here on wix blogs, Instagram @bilbo.h and TikTok @travelbeeblog.
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