Responsible Safari Travel- Is Conservation My Business Too?

Do you love traveling, wildlife, or both? Yes? Then, you need to go on an African safari. You will have memorable experiences with wildlife. Africa is home to many wild animals. The ‘Big Five’ are the most popular. These include buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, lions, and elephants. You can see these animals in most African countries. Travelers also seek other animals on safaris. These include cheetahs, hippos, giraffes, crocodiles, and zebras among others. You can see most of these animals in protected areas such as game reserves. An African safari is a lifetime adventure. You get to explore places with spectacular wildlife and unique landscapes. But traveling is not enough. This post focuses on responsible safari travel. Is conservation my business too?

Conservation

Conservation involves protecting natural resources. These include water, soil, minerals, air, and wildlife. Both the current and future generations need these natural resources. Conservation and preservation share goals. They seek to care for and protect natural resources. But they achieve this in different ways. Preservation controls human use of natural resources. This is aimed at protecting nature. For example, protected areas seek to preserve and protect nature. Conservation promotes the sustainable use of natural resources.

The human population continues to grow across the world. As a result, people are consuming more natural resources. This leads to pollution, the loss of habitats, and climate change. This is linked to the extinction of some species. Extinction occurs when a certain species die out or disappears completely. It occurs in a natural process. But some activities can increase the rate at which the process happens. Research shows that the extinction rate is higher today.

Africa is blessed with wildlife. Sadly, more species are becoming endangered. This is because of the higher demand for natural resources. Those animals at risk include pangolins, rhinos, mountain gorillas, giraffes, chimps, and others. Conservation efforts are helping to protect these animals. One of these efforts is keeping animals in protected areas. But this is not the solution. It is the preservation of animals. It just treats the symptoms of the problem. Conservation is the cure. This is more than just saving animals. It involves addressing the root cause of the problem. This involves maintaining habitats and changing human mindsets.

Responsible safari travel- is conservation my business too?

Travelers can contribute to wildlife extinction. They can cause disturbance to wildlife. For example, too many travelers can disturb wildlife. This is likely to have a huge impact during the breeding period. This is one of the negative impacts of safari tourism. Any disturbance during this period reduces breeding success. This is a threat to the survival of wildlife.

The disturbance may separate the mother and babies. For example, tourist disturbance may separate leopards and their cubs. The cubs become vulnerable to predators. This becomes a threat to wildlife survival.

Travelers can damage wildlife habitats. For example, damage to coral reefs is highly reported. This is among the known negative impacts of safari tourism. It puts the survival of marine life in danger.

To reduce the negative impacts, we need responsible safari travel. This involves taking actions that align with sustainable tourism practices. The aim is to make a positive impact on our destinations.

Is conservation my business too? Yes, conservation should be your business. You must take care of and protect wildlife. We must ensure that natural resources are available for future generations too.

How to support sustainable tourism

Let’s look at how to support sustainable tourism. We shall provide a list of activities. But you should take any other action that can help conserve wildlife.

• Support conservation efforts

Several organizations focus on wildlife conservation. You may be unable to get in the field and protect wildlife. But there is something you can do about it. You can donate to a wildlife conservation organization. Many reputable organizations are known for protecting wildlife. You don’t have to just support international organizations. There are local organizations that protect the environment. Their mission is to protect wildlife and other natural resources.

We respect such organizations. They are playing a major role in conservation. They inspire us and other wildlife lovers. This is why we feel that conservation is your business too. We all need to promote responsible safari travel. You can do this through donations.

• Choose responsible tour operators

You will find many tour operators. Some are more environmentally responsible than others. Some operators are keen on pollution. They practice recycling. They encourage travelers to reuse water bottles. Others work with eco-friendly hotels and lodges. These use solar energy for cooking, lighting, and water heating. These are some of the activities that conserve natural resources. Ask the company what they do to protect wildlife and the environment.

• Do not disturb wildlife

Do not get too close to wild animals. Keep your distance. Avoid interfering with their natural habit. You may threaten their survival. Don’t make loud noises. You may frighten the animals and put them at risk. Avoiding feeding the animals. It is also a form of disturbance.

• Empower local communities

Buy things such as art and food from local sellers. They play a key role in wildlife conservation. They can do this even better if we empower them.

• Leave a positive impact

Responsible safari travel involves leaving a positive impact. Don’t litter the environment. Follow the designated paths. Don’t destroy wildlife including plants. Just take the great memories with you.

The current generation needs natural resources. But future generations need them too. So, we need to practice responsible safari travel. Safe travel should be your business. But conservation should be your business too.