By Andrea Sachs
When Robyn Ehrlich visited Alaska last August, the Hawaii resident hoped to see humpback whales in their summer home.
And she knew exactly how she wanted to observe them: on a whale-watching tour that would ensure the safety and respect the sanctity of the marine mammals.
"We have to be conscious of our choices," said Ehrlich, the education manager at the Pacific Whale Foundation, a nonprofit based in Maui. "What wildlife guidelines are the companies following? Are they avoiding activities that are detrimental to the animals, like swimming with them or touching them? What precautions are they taking?"
Ehrlich was not familiar with Alaska wildlife tour operators, so she looked for companies affiliated with sustainable tourism organisations and marine life advocates. She also read independent reviews, eyeballed photos of the excursions, and "met" the owners and staff through their online profiles.
"I wanted to make sure the operator was doing what is best for the wildlife," said Ehrlich, who eventually booked with Seward Ocean Excursions The company is a member of Whale Sense, a voluntary best-practices program sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and earned certification from Adventure Green Alaska, which promotes sustainable practices.
Before the pandemic, about 110 million people visited wildlife tourist attractions each year, according to World Animal Protection.
The international organisation determined that 75 percent of activities involving wild animals - such as tiger selfies, ostrich rides, dolphin swims and crocodile farms - are harmful to the four-legged, finned or feathered participants.
A 2016 World Animal Protection report using research by the University of Oxford's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, found that three in four animal attractions involved "animal abuse or conservation concerns."
"It can be a challenge for the traveller to identify and select wildlife tours and activities that meet a certain standard," said Jim Sano, vice president for travel, tourism and conservation at the World Wildlife Fund.
Here are tips on how to humanely engage with the wild kingdom.
Read the booking sites
Many online booking sites have created animal welfare policies that educate travellers about unethical attractions and define their positions on these types of diversions, such as banning abusive activities from their platforms.
For instance, Viator and its parent company, Tripadvisor, will not list excursions that involve hurting or killing animals, such as bullfighting.
The companies will also not accept advertising money or book experiences that violate certain humane standards, such as physical interactions with captive wild or endangered species (with a few exceptions,) or performances that demean the animals.
For example, travellers can't book the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, which allows guests to wash the hulking residents, or any of the SeaWorlds, because of their cetacean shows and swims.
"We stopped booking many of the thousands of attractions or bookable experiences involving animals," said Brian Hoyt, a Tripadvisor spokesperson, adding that travellers should share any concerns about a business's mistreatment of animals at awpolicyreview@tripadvisor.com.
Tripadvisor is one of several travel booking sites and operators that consulted with World Animal Protection on its protocols.
The organisation has also advised Airbnb, Expedia Group, EF Go Ahead Tours, Booking.com and Virgin Holidays.
In September 2020, it released an animal welfare ranking of more than a dozen travel companies. Airbnb clinched the top spot; GetYourGuide, Klook and Musement tied for last place.
Play detective
Before booking, scrutinize the reviews and photos shared by visitors.
Check independent review sites as well as social media.
Pay attention to such red flags as guests feeding, petting, riding or snapping close-up selfies with wildlife. (This rule generally applies to wild animals, not domestic critters.)
"If you're allowed to touch a tiger, you're not in the right place," said Carson Barylak, campaigns manager for the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Other troubling signs: a significant population of juvenile animals or such inbred or hybrid species as white tigers or ligers, a lion crossed with a tiger. Barylak said such evidence could indicate that a business is breeding or playing mad scientist with the animals.
"True sanctuaries aren't breeding animals," she said.
Seek out vetted places
Bypass the rabbit-hole research step with an organisation that aggregates pre-approved sanctuaries, conservation sites, wildlife-viewing tours and more.
"True sanctuaries are working to solve the problems created by pseudo-sanctuaries," Barylak said
Ultimately, it is up to the visitor to decide whether to support or skip these institutions. "The burden is on us to ask: 'Is it healthy for the animals? Is it healthy for me?'" Ashe said.
Tag along with an advocacy group
Raise the confidence bar by signing up for an excursion arranged by or affiliated with an animal welfare or conservation group.
For-profit travel companies and nonprofits also collaborate on trips and tours.
Nearly 20-year partners, the World Wildlife Fund and Natural Habitat Adventures have teamed up on more than 80 itineraries in 37 countries, according to Sano.
One of WWF's newest partners is Airbnb: In December 2020, WWF Mexico combined forces with the short-term rental company and the Mexican Federation of Tourist Associations, to promote five driving routes through such ecologically enticing areas in Mexico such as the Jaguar's Corridor from Tuxtla Gutiérrez to Calakmul.
Be aware and speak up
Before you set off on an animal adventure, familiarize yourself with wildlife protection laws.
If a business flouts an animal protection law or ignores best practices, Whelan suggests you follow the advice espoused by Homeland Security: "If you see something," he said, "say something."