#VISIT WILD ANIMAL SAFARI HOW TO#
#VISIT WILD ANIMAL SAFARI FULL#

Local people and governments do not have that privilege. “We can support it because we’re privileged, but it’s a luxury to be able to do that. “If these animals in the forest or savannah do not have economic value, then why should anyone support their existence?” he posits. Small groups are also advised to prevent stress - the Uganda Wildlife Authority recommends only eight tourists for tracking a gorilla family each day “as to manage their anxiety levels”. Ultimately, he says, it comes down to whether or not tourists abide by protocol – staying the advised distance from the wildlife, avoiding flash photography, avoiding human contact, keeping a low voice and only spending a limited hour with any animal so as not to cause them any stress. It also improves the livelihoods of communities living around protected forests.”

“Habituation is a process,” he says, “whereby the gorillas are slowly tamed to generate revenue for sustainability of conservation. The animals are left in their natural surroundings, and pursue their lives in the most natural way possible. Ngabirano also stresses that animal habituation, specifically in gorillas, is a sensitively handled issue that takes place over the course of a year. Both Taylor and Ngabirano agree that responsible safari tourism is crucial to animal protection and survival, and vastly improves the economy of local communities. The ethics of safari isn’t a clear-cut issue. “Common colds are among the illnesses and that’s why we recommend at least to keep seven metres away while viewing gorillas.” “Due to close genetic relatedness, gorillas are at risk of contracting human pathogens,” he told us, adding that tourists are not permitted to track gorillas when they’re sick.

#VISIT WILD ANIMAL SAFARI HOW TO#

There have been examples where docile lions posing with humans were found to have been drugged, or elephants who have been tamed via “spirit crushing means”, as Taylor says, but – as safari companies become more ethical in terms of animal treatment – one if the key issues is how to prevent the wildlife from contracting human illnesses.īwindi Field Office Manager and Community Health Field Officer Alex Ngabirano, who has been working in the Ugandan field for 12 years, says it’s certainly a problem that needs to be addressed. While, in the case of game drives, humans are kept at a distance from the animals, some organisations offer activities where visitors can take up close-up pictures with them, and sometimes even touching them.

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'If the animal’s best interest is to live a full life in the wild, it’s not to try and accustom them to human behaviour so that tourists can take selfies'Īnother challenge facing wildlife safari is the risk that the animals have in contracting human illnesses. If the animal’s best interest is to live and full and natural life in the wild, it’s not to try and have them accustomed to human behaviour so that tourists can take selfies.”

This is not something working in their best interest. Even animals who have been born and bred in captivity can still attack or kill people in these facilities. “These are wild animals no matter how long they’ve been in captivity or have been around humans, they still retain a natural instinct. “It’s not only unnatural, but it’s also unsafe to habituate an animal,” says Taylor. Peta reports the number of companies offering activities that use animals as entertainment has fallen, but that tracking could fall under the same umbrella. Tourists in small groups join guides and rangers in natural parks, jungle and forests to follow animals that have been habituated, ie tamed to be comfortable around humans. Animal tracking – be it gorillas, lions or wild dogs – has risen with tourism’s demand for a more authentic travel experience.

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