How to Protect Animals When We Travel

Spotting wildlife is often one of the major thrills of travel. While many of us have seen an elephant in a zoo, seeing a herd of them at a waterhole in the middle of the African savannah is an entirely different experience! And it’s not just the spectacular big mammals that bring joy; spotting the native kiwi bird in New Zealand, furry marmots in the Rocky Mountains, or puffins flying across the waves of the Atlantic Ocean will all sear themselves into your memory.

So how can we appreciate the world’s incredible diversity of wildlife without doing them harm?

We have four simple tips to share:

1. Never feed wildlife.

It may seem like a generous act, but it can harm animals in multiple ways. You could be feeding them food that is harmful for their digestive system, but even worse, you’ll habituate them to seek food from humans, which leads to them being unable to survive on their own, and often also to aggressive behaviour towards humans. We’ve all seen the signs: “A fed bear is a dead bear.”

2. Look but don’t touch, no matter how cute.

This protects both you and the animals. Give them the space to exist in nature, without human intervention.

3. Use a zoom lens for close up photos

When you take photos, take them from a respectful distance. You will see places that charge you to take photos close up with wild animals; this is not an animal-friendly practice.

4. Be wary of animal "sanctuaries"

Be extremely wary of animal “sanctuaries” that house and offer close-up, often physical encounters with exotic animals. Cheetahs, tigers, lions, pandas, and elephants are all examples of animals that are often found in these places. These centres often claim to have “rescued” or “rehabilitated” the animals, but often these animals have been bred in captivity for the purpose of entertaining people. Don't support them.

ToursByLocals cares deeply about protecting the amazing creatures that populate our planet. We created an Animal Welfare Policy that every tour guide on our website needs to abide by if they offer tours that involve animals in any way. You can read all the details of that policy here: ToursByLocals Animal Welfare Policy.