Responsible Wildlife Tourism Checklist

14 items · Travel · Medium difficulty · 30 min

Make wildlife travel ethical: choose accredited operators, avoid rides, and support real conservation.

• Verify operator accreditation

  Look for ABTA, ATTA, or recognized local conservation credentials.

• Confirm operator conservation partnerships

  Ask for names of NGOs, research groups, or sanctuary partners.

• Read recent reviews for welfare and safety issues

  Check independent reviews and recent guest reports for red flags.

• Refuse animal rides, performances, and petting

  Decline activities that force handling or unnatural behaviors.

• Skip selfies with captive wild animals

  Avoid photos that promote handling or keeping wild animals.

• Choose sanctuaries that prioritize rehabilitation

  Prefer sites that rescue, rehabilitate, and aim to release animals.

• Ask whether animals are wild-caught or bred for tourism

  Confirm animals weren't taken from the wild or bred specifically for visitors.

• Prefer non-invasive, observation-only encounters

  Choose viewing experiences without feeding, baiting, or chasing wildlife.

• Maintain a safe distance for observation and photography

  Use zoom lenses/binoculars and respect posted viewing limits.

• Turn off flash and never bait animals for photos

  Flash and baiting cause stress and can alter natural behaviors.

• Follow local laws, permit rules, and guide instructions

  Respect protected area rules, seasonal closures, and guide safety advice.

• Donate through verified conservation channels

  Give via operator partners or registered NGOs only.

• Pack out all trash and use reusable gear

  Reduce single-use waste and keep habitats clean.

• Report welfare concerns and leave honest feedback

  Notify the operator, NGOs, or tourism boards and post reviews to inform others.

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