Responsible tourism on big cat safaris

Then there is the problem of traditional medicines which to this day are still often made with the body parts of endangered animals. There remains a thriving and extremely valuable black market in wildlife; which drives high rates of poaching and may even contribute to terrorism. Efforts to change mindsets are up against centuries of misguided beliefs. This is, sadly, a battle that is a long way from being over.

But if simple economics is the root cause of big cats being wiped out, it is also a way to prevent it. We need to convince people that there is a serious financial incentive in conservation, and that is where responsible tourism comes in. When communities can see a direct benefit to them from big cat tourism, they will act to protect the animals. In Borneo, wildlife tourism is keeping families employed that might otherwise have become involved in the palm oil industry – one of the greatest threats to the island’s rainforests. Sustainable logging practices in Borneo’s Deramakot Nature Reserve have led to dramatic increases in many species, and profitable tourism there will hopefully encourage other reserves to take a similar approach. In the Russian Far East, tiger and leopard numbers are on the rise, as the presence of tourists keeps poachers and illegal loggers away, and drawing guides from local communities means people become more aware of the need to scale down poaching of big cat prey species.

What you can do
Whenever buying any timber product, look for the FSC mark showing that the wood has been sourced sustainably. Support organisations such as Trees for Tigers seeking to restore safe, sustainable habitat for big cats, and WWF in their fight against the illegal wildlife trade. Above all, if you’re considering taking a big cat safari then look at going with a responsible operator, as they will very often provide employment to local people, help with research projects, and donate some of their profits to conservation initiatives.

On the subject of big cats being unnaturally confined we can’t not mention Thailand’s infamous Tiger Temple, which was thankfully shut down in 2016. Responsible Travel campaigned against it because it seemed that the tigers were being poorly cared for by the monks, possibly drugged to keep them relaxed while visitors posed for selfies with them, and that visitor safety was not at all assured. It later turned out that tiger cubs were appallingly being bred at the temple to be used in the wildlife trade. The tiger temple is gone, for now at least, but worrying there are reports that a new zoo may be opening shortly. The use of poorly treated wild animals for tourism, entertainment and sport continues around the world, and so will the fight against it. We’ll be in the front line.

What you can do
Any time you see wild animals such as big cats behaving unnaturally, it should raise suspicions. Quite often they will have been bred in captivity, separated from their mothers at a very early age, and trained harshly. If your holiday includes a visit to a centre where you will have encounters with wildlife, find out as much as you can about the place and if your questions aren’t answered satisfactorily, insist it’s removed from the itinerary.

While on holiday, avoid any facility that breeds big cats, has a ready supply of cubs for petting, and doesn’t appear to support any external conservation initiatives. In Southern Africa, these animals may well be involved in canned hunting, while around the world they may simply have been bred for a life of captivity to entertain tourists. Instead look at supporting places such as Cheetah Outreach in Cape Town, which is open all year round for educational tours. Learn more about the canned hunting industry and how you can take action against it.