Author: Admin |
11:45 AM |
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From: National Geographic <ng@e.nationalgeographic.com>
Sent: 15 May 2019 16:40
To: georgeokello_8@hotmail.com
Subject: Exclusive: The hidden realities of the wildlife tourism industry
The secret cost of wildlife tourism
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| | When I went to the Amazon in July 2017 to a river town where people illegally catch sloths and keep them in boxes, I didn't know I'd be spending the next 18 months in search of wild animals that work as photo props and entertainers for tourists.
Photographer Kirsten Luce and I knew that sloths and other animals are used in the tourism industry all over the world. So after our Amazon story ran, we proposed a broader investigation of wildlife tourism—one that would look at the disconnect between well-meaning tourists who flock to attractions that offer hands-on experiences with animals, and the suffering endured by many of the animals at such attractions. We chose to focus on hotspots: Thailand, Hawaii, Russia, and the Amazon. | |
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| | The story is timely. Social media posts, such as tourists' selfies with animals, provide instant viral advertising for wildlife tourism activities such as elephant riding and tiger hugging.
Instagram was a powerful research tool. Hashtags and location tags made it possible for us to see animal experiences vicariously and then connect with tourists in real time, sometimes joining them on their adventures. Social media underpinned much of our reporting. Kirsten and I couldn't have told this story without it. | |
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| | | National Geographic's reporting on animals generally concentrates on their natural history and issues of habitat destruction, poaching, and trafficking. This was a different kind of story. Getting close to captive wild animals often seems joyful—an innocent, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Most people I met love animals. Many thought that by supporting the attractions they were visiting, they were helping the animals they encountered. They were largely oblivious to the suffering behind the scenes. | |
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| | Kirsten and I were there to do a job—to report on what we saw. This helped me detach somewhat from the reality I found. But sustained exposure to injured, confined, sickly animals was painful. A couple of times I found myself breaking down over a particularly abused animal. I struggled with guilt over the abuse we witnessed. We could leave and return to our lives. The animals could not.
Kirsten and I hope our story will give you a better understanding of what lies behind wildlife attractions. Thank you for reading and looking. |
Read the full story and join the conversation on social media using #NatGeoWildlifeTourism. | |
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