Fair Trade Tourism launches Captive Wildlife Guidelines

Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) has published its Captive Wildlife Guidelines, which aim to assist the travel industry with making decisions about which captive wildlife facilities to support and which to avoid.

The guidelines were developed after consultation with nearly 200 organisations and 40 publications, and after a call for public submissions. They have been based on five pillars that FTT believes a facility should comply with to be classified as good practice.

FTT says that global research conducted by Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit indicates that 80% of tourists who visit captive wildlife facilities each year are unaware of the negative impacts of these facilities.

Jane Edge, FTT Managing Director, says: “Many wildlife groups are lobbying to have the captive wildlife industry shut down and this pressure is likely to grow. FTT recognises that the industry is here to stay but that good practice standards and guidelines are urgently needed to weed out dangerous or exploitative practices.”

Best practice, FTT has laid out, rests on the five pillars – legal compliance, wildlife conservation, animal welfare, human safety and transparency. The guidelines elaborate on specifications that a facility should meet under each pillar in order to be considered best practice. Additionally, a questionnaire is included to help tour operators assess captive wildlife facilities themselves when deciding on itineraries for clients.

The guidelines also help readers to better understand the types of captive wildlife facilities that exist and which to avoid. FTT has provided a round-up of species in captivity and what to look out for when assessing the quality of care and life being provided for these animals. These species include elephants, lions, cheetah, wild dogs, whales and dolphins, ostriches, crocodiles, primates and birds.

Edge notes that FTT took into account the complexities of the relationship between conservation, welfare, education, research and employment when compiling the guidelines but also suggests that South Africa cannot afford to deviate from global norms. “To ensure that our guidelines align with global good practice, we consulted widely with international wildlife conservation, responsible tourism and animal welfare bodies, however we have also taken into consideration the realities of the South African environment,” she explains.

Along with the launch of the guidelines, FTT plans to host a conference looking at wildlife in tourism, where local and international experts will address some of the issues involved in this sector.

The guidelines are available to FTT-certified businesses and approved tour operators at no cost. Other businesses can purchase the guidelines for R250 (€15.88). To obtain a copy, contact shona@fairtrade.travel.

Source: tourismupdate.co.za