Safari and jungle tours contribute millions of dollars to different economies in the world. People are increasingly considering tours to zoos or wildlife parks. While their fascination positively affects the economy through revenue generation, the primary question is the impact of those trips on environmental and economic sustainability. While there are a few advantages related to such safaris, it is worth noting that most cause a disruption of the natural ecosystem, hence, negatively affect the environment and economic sustainability. Ecotourism has a positive impact on the economy and the environment in general, including animals, but safaris and jungle tours do not always abide by ecotourism principles. Unhealthy human interaction with animals negatively influences animals’ health ( Cohen, E. (2009). Most tourists invade animals’ habitats by looking into having a close and clearer view of the animals. The effect is exemplified by the disturbance of the ecosystem in the Cayman Islands. With tourists being allowed to pet, feed, and swim with Stingrays, more people are desiring to get closer to the sea creatures. With approximately 2500 people vising this area daily, the intrusion is evident. Blood samples taken from Stingrays in this region signify a weaker immune system (www.dw.com). Feeding and interacting with wild creatures disrupt their natural feeding patterns and other related dynamics. Such tours, hence, make the ecosystem vulnerable and less sustainable. Besides, in some safaris and tours, tourists flout restrictions related to interacting with animals. When they feed animals such as macaques, and langurs, food that does not constitute natural food for such animals increases the chance of contraction and spread of diseases. A small disruption in some species could cause a negative chain of events that negatively influence environmental sustainability. Jungle tours and safaris create the need for amenities within natural habitats. Resort-like developments are increasingly being witnessed in different parks and wildlife spaces. As businesses crop up in order to make tourists’ experiences better, there is a consequent negative impact on wildlife. The environment is disturbed when habitats are affected. When local environments are negatively affected, pressure on native species increases. Most importantly, in conservations that are not well monitored, people might litter the environment, hence, affecting wildlife and the environment ( Kishnani, 2019). It is worth noting that noise created by multiple visits results in air pollution. In such an environment, animals’ breeding or feeding patterns could be negatively affected. When the food chain is disrupted, there is likely to be an imbalance in the ecosystem. If animals or plants that attract tourists are impacted negatively, their extinction, regardless of how slow it might be, could be inevitable. The environment in such a case is disturbed. Ecotourism can be practiced in a way that positively influences the environment and the economy. By creating awareness among tourists, and impacting their attitudes and views on wildlife, policies put in place to minimize wildlife-human interactions are likely to be minimized. The endangered Arctic fox in Sweden exemplifies how environmental conversation can be improved through the provision of relevant information to tourists about how they could contribute to environmental preservation ( Larm et al., 2018). When a significant level of awareness influences positive behavior towards the environment, more visitors are likely to be attracted to a given ecosystem because of the balance in the ecosystem that ensures the thriving of animals, plants, and other attractive elements. This is because they can directly or indirectly influence management ( Higginbottom et al., 2001). This could positively influence the economy through an increase in the revenue received by the relevant authorities. In the end, economic sustainability is likely to be achieved because revenue-generating attractions are unlikely to be disrupted. The money from tourism can be invested in other sectors, hence, the possibility of a thriving economy.
References
Azam, M., Alam, M. M., & Hafeez, M. H. (2018). Effect of tourism on environmental pollution: Further evidence from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Journal of cleaner production , 190 , 330-338.
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Cohen, E. (2009). The wild and the humanized: Animals in Thai tourism. Anatolia , 20 (1), 100-118.
(www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Going Wild: The Impact Of Tourism On Nature | DW | 24.03.2015". DW.COM , https://www.dw.com/en/global-ideas-tourism-wildlife-conservation-biodiversity/a-18335875 .
Higginbottom, K., Northrope, C., & Green, R. (2001). Positive effects of wildlife tourism on wildlife . Gold Coast: CRC for Sustainable Tourism.
KISHNANI, N. (2019). Sustainable Development of Ecotourism in Madhya Pradesh: Prospects and Problems. Journal of Tourism , 20 (1), 55.
Larm, M., Elmhagen, B., Granquist, S. M., Brundin, E., & Angerbjörn, A. (2018). The role of wildlife tourism in conservation of endangered species: Implications of safari tourism for conservation of the Arctic fox in Sweden. Human Dimensions of Wildlife , 23 (3), 257-272.
