Why do you travel? To experience new things? Learn about other places and countries? See animals you only know from TV or books? Probably a bit of everything, right? In this blog article, however, we want to dive deeper into the last point and see how animal friendly travel works and what you should keep in mind.
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Table of Contents: Animal friendly Travel
Animal welfare and animal suffering while traveling
Animal attractions from around the orld and why you should avoid most of them
Entertainment behind bars: Zoos and delphiniums
How to recognize an animal firendly zoo
Search and find: Safaris und whale watching
Excursus: Attracting animals with food
Elephant riding and the problem with elephant sanctuaries
Tip: Samui Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand
Tradition and suffering: Bullfighting
What you should look out for when you take a horseback ride, carriage ride or pony ride
Into the wilderness: Animal welfare when hiking, diving and cycling
No noise, please! Being a guest in the habitat
No touching, please! Protection for you and the animals
No flash, please! Photographing wildlife
Animal friendly travel ā Get involved!
Animal welfare at hotels: Projects to join
Conclusion and summary ā Animal friendly travel
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Once in the wild ā¦
Animal observations are at the top of the wish list, in particular when the journey takes you further away. Who does not dream of spotting the king of the beasts in the wild? Or to get very close to an elephant? Youāll never forget animal encounters like that.
But we tend to forget something else: the protection of the animals we find so fascinating. Especially, when we travel with children and try to make such unique encounters possible for them, we quickly throw a few principles overboard. However, we donāt accuse anybody of bad intentions. There is hardly anyone who intentionally acts against animal welfare or supports practices and attractions where animals are tortured or harmed. It is simply that we, the travelers, lack the knowledge occasionally. We, too, filled in some gaps in our knowledge about animal friendly travel while researching this article, and we hope you can do the same now.
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Animal welfare and animal suffering while traveling
The issue of animal welfare, and especially animal welfare while traveling, always has a psychological component. On vacation, we are far away from our everyday lives, where we live consciously and sustainably, perhaps even helping out at the animal shelter.
In Addition, in our high industrialized, Western world we especially distance ourselves further and further from nature, and so we also partly unlearn to meet animals empathically, simply because we do not encounter them. Furthermore, very few of us are probably biologists or behaviorists or for other reasons can analyze animal behavior. All of this adds up to the fact that in certain situations we are unable to recognize animals suffering and animal welfare and thus may unwittingly support practices that are against animal welfare.
This does not have to be the case, however. For many experiences and encounters, there are sustainable and animal friendly alternatives.
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Before we start: This article will discuss mistreatment and violence against animals. If you cannot or donāt want to read that, check out this blog article, discussing ethical animal encounters or jump straight down and read how you can actively design your animal friendly travel.
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Animal attractions from around the world and why you should avoid most of them
When traveling, we encounter attractions and experiences that have to do with animals in one way or another everywhere. Some of them are, at first glance, a violation of animal welfare: Animals are injured, obviously not kept appropriately or even abused. However, in numerous instances we have to take a closer look and inform ourselves to recognize whether the animals are doing well. Sometimes, supposedly animal friendly experiences turn out to be cruelty at second glance.
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Entertainment behind bars: zoos and delphiniums
Ever since delphiniums like SeaWorld hit the headlines, many travelers avoid them, and an increasing number of tour operators are eliminating visits from their itineraries. The animals are kept under impossible and cramped conditions. Behavior problems are commonplace. So, please, give such āattractionsā a wide berth, regardless of what the marketing department claims.
But delphiniums are only the tip of an entertainment iceberg that is based on caged animals. Zoos are also among them. In Germany, organizations repeatedly criticize the lack of animal protection laws that apply to zoos. In other countries, things look even worse in some cases: enclosures that are far too small, apathetic animals and behavioral disorders such as constantā tigeringā in cages can be observed all over the world.
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How to recognize an animal friendly zoo
If you still plan a visit to the zoo, check your destination beforehand. Not only read the statements of the owner or operator, but also find out what independent organizations say and listen to your gut feeling. During your visit, you can pay attention to whether the animals have retreats from the public. Take your time and observe: How are they behaving? Are they interested in their surroundings? Are they relaxed? Or stressed? It can also be exciting for children to look at an animal longer and explore what it is doing. You can also talk to staff members and ask them about activities and care.
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There are alternatives to visiting the zoo. Sanctuaries and wildlife preserves offer animals much more freedom and an almost natural life. In addition, by visiting, you support the work of the respective organization and learn a lot about the species and its habitat.
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Tip: Wild horses and gibbons
Wild horses often act as ālandscape managersā in nature reserves, as they regulate the plant growth in a natural way. This is also the case in the Tennenloher Forest near Erlangen in Germany. Around 100 hectares are available to the Przewalskiās horses. Therefore, it can be quite difficult to get a glimpse of them. But thatās the way itās supposed to be, isnāt it? (Thanks to the Creativhotel Luise for this tip!)
Another example of memorable and animal friendly travel encounters is visiting a sanctuary like the Gibbon Project in Phuket, Thailand. The gibbons here are rescued from cruel conditions of life and torture, and the staff carefully prepare them for life in the wild again. This happens in large enclosures off the beaten track and with minimal human contact. As a visitor, you will see only those monkeys that canā t be released back into the wild for health or other reasons.
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Search and find: Safaris und whale watching
Safaris and also the special form of whale watching are among the most popular animal experiences of all. They provide the opportunity to discover and observe animals in their natural habitat. Why should this be against animal welfare, right? Well, itās not the safari or whale watching tour itself, but the way itās conducted that can stress the animals being observed.
Many animals are used to cars and donāt care whether a jeep stops next to them or not, but it can happen that they feel disturbed and run away or hide. In this case, you (if youāre driving yourself) or the guide should under no circumstances follow them. Certainly, not off the road. Furthermore, driving closer just to take a picture will scare the animal away. Wait with the engine turned off to see if it approaches. And if it doesnāt, just enjoy the moment without a camera.
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On the water, the same applies: do not chase the animals you are watching and, if possible, turn off the engine. But experienced whale watching captains do the same. After all, they want to avoid chasing away the impressive marine mammals or spoil their hunting grounds.
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Excursus: Attracting animals with food
This practice is now banned in many countries, and an increasing number of people are criticizing it: the feeding of wild animals to offer tourists a spectacle. Nevertheless, there are places where this still happens. In Florida, USA, for example. However, the food is only held in front of the alligatorsā noses, as feeding is forbidden. But that doesnāt make it any better, does it? Rather the opposite. In the ocean, too, people still lure white sharks with food to show them off to tourists. Dangerous situations arise from the animalsā expectation of being fed by humans. They also come closer to inhabited areas or areas of the ocean used by swimmers and surfers, from which they would normally stay away. Attacks are provoked.
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Elephant riding and the problem with elephant sanctuaries
Animal welfare organizations and sustainable travel providers constantly make the point: elephant riding is not animal friendly. The gray giants would never let a human get so close if they hadnāt learned to obey by suffering. Often, they were torn away from their mothers as babies, chained, and forcibly made to obey. In the worst cases, the mother was simply killed to get to the calf.
When searching for alternatives, you will come across sanctuaries that take in such riding elephants and give them a better life. Visitors can feed the elephants, wash them and sometimes even go swimming with them. Special care must be taken here, as not all sanctuaries operate transparently. Every so often, the stations that now offer washing and feeding are the very same ones that previously offered elephant rides.
At the end, it doesnāt help: we have to admit as travelers (and elephant lovers) that even washing and feeding is against their nature and only possible because they had to learn painfully that disobedience is useless.
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Good sanctuaries limit human-elephant contact to a minimum, allowing the animals to live as close to nature as possible. At the same time, however, most sanctuaries struggle for every penny and must strike a balance between entertaining guests and protecting the elephants.
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Tip: Samui Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand
The Samui Elephant Sanctuary manages the balancing act between tourist and elephant welfare by reserving bathing for the elephants. Visitors are permitted to help prepare and feed the elephants, but beyond that, the main focus is on observing, accompanying and learning.
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Tradition and suffering: Bullfighting
Sustainable travel has a lot to do with protecting local culture. But traditions that are thousands of years old can and should change if they cause suffering. In Spain and France, such an idea is not very well thought of. Instead, bullfighting is protected as an intangible cultural asset, so that hundreds and hundreds of bulls still die in arenas every year for the entertainment of the people. In the process, the animals are tortured by the fighters with long needles and finally killed. But even if the bull doesnāt die in the arena, it goes to the slaughterhouse afterwards. It is too aggressive (and traumatized) to handle.
However, in May 2022, animal welfare organizations achieved their first success in protesting against bullfights. For the moment, no more fights are allowed to take place in the worldās largest bullring, the Plaza de Toros in Mexico City. The Mexican Federal Court stopped them after civil organizations sued for years.
As a traveler in countries that offer bullfights, for example Spain, France, Portugal, but also Brazil and Mexico, do not be tempted to visit such an event. If the guests stay away, this ātraditionā will hopefully not exist anymore one day.
In general, you should avoid events where animals fight against each other or against humans. This applies to bullfights as well as alligator wrestling or cockfights. They are simply animal cruelty.
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What you should watch out for when you take a horseback ride, carriage ride, or pony ride
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Galloping along the beach is a once-in-a-lifetime dream of many riders. But even if you have nothing to do with horses, you may have booked a horseback ride on vacation, taken a carriage ride or gone pony riding with your child. And if youāre honest, you probably havenāt thought about animal welfare, have you?
Especially in the hot summer months, you should ask yourself whether a horse-drawn carriage ride through the sweltering city center of a metropolis is really necessary. Recently, a video went through the Internet that showed a completely debilitated horse collapsing in front of the carriage in New York. There is no need for this to happen. You can explore a city on foot or by bicycle in an environmentally friendly way, as well. The four-legged friends do not have to trot through the streets at 30 degrees Celsius and more.
In general, carriage rides and also rides or pony rides are not against animal welfare. However, there are a few things you should pay attention to in advance, when you want to have an animal friendly travel.
The keeping of the horses is at the top of the list. This should be as appropriate as possible, which means that the animals do not spend the whole day in the stable, but also go to the pasture or the paddock. A second point is the equipment. As a layman, it is of course difficult to tell whether a saddle fits or not, but the condition already tells you a lot. Is the leather well maintained, or is it cracked and hard? How does the horse react? For example, does it flatten its ears and snap, or is it relaxed during saddling and mounting? What is the general condition of the animal? Are they emaciated or do they look healthy? How often are ridden during the day? Do they have rest periods to regenerate? Ā
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Extra: Dog sledding tours
You can ask yourself similar questions as before a horse or carriage ride should before a tour with a dog sled. Responsible dog owners and operators will be happy to answer these questions, and then you can enjoy the sled ride with a clear conscience.
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Souvenirs ā dead or alive
We have to admit, still having to include this point in the article hurts. And yet, we canāt leave it unsaid: Wild animals are not living souvenirs and not pets! Not only is taking them illegal, it is also extremely harmful and often even fatal for the animal. It is ripped from its familiar environment and exposed to enormous stress. If kept in a cage or terrarium, it cannot satisfy its needs as usual and eventually dies.
But not only live animals are more than unsuitable as souvenirs. With other things, you should pay attention to the material they are made of and where these materials originate from. You are probably familiar with ivory and would not think of buying a souvenir made of it. But how about coral necklaces? The keychain made of tortoise shell or the elephant hair bracelet?
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You can find a good overview of problematic souvenirs in the WWFās souvenir guide (english download available).
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By buying souvenirs of threatened species, you endanger the biodiversity of our world and contribute to the extinction of animals. So if youāre not sure where a souvenir comes from or what itās made of, just donāt buy it. Youāll find other things to take home. Especially memories of encounters with live wildlife.Ā
By the way, trade and import of endangered species and their products,Ā e.g., tortoise shell or ivory, are prohibited. If you carry such products with you, you are liable to prosecution and have to pay quite some fine. Apart from that, the trade with souvenirs from endangered species is also morally absolutely reprehensible.
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Into the wilderness: Animal friendly hiking, diving and cycling
Especially during nature-oriented sports and activities, we cannot avoid encounters with wildlife, both intentional and unintentional. Whether a deer jumps in front of your feet while hiking or you admire corals underwater, animal welfare plays a role here, too.
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No noise, please! Being a guest in the habitat
As hikers and cyclists, we are often out and about in the great outdoors. Especially when you go on long-distance hiking trails, you are usually more in the woods and fields than in inhabited areas. In other words, you are a guest in the habitat of wild animals. And thatās how you should behave.
One important rule for hikers and walkers is not to make unnecessary noise. Noise frightens the animals and disturbs their resting phases. It also causes stress. This doesnāt mean that you have to creep through the forest and not exchange a word with your companion. A quiet conversation can even be an advantage, as it forewarns deer and co. Loud music, on the other hand, is a no-go.
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No touching, please! Protection for you and the animals
For your own protection, you should avoid touching wild animals. They can transmit diseases, or scratch and bite you. Also, you could harm the animal by transmitting pathogens when you touch it.
The no-touch rule applies underwater as well. Especially when diving through coral reefs. Some corals form a kind of antibacterial layer around themselves, which you destroy by touching them. This makes the coral more susceptible to disease.
Other sea animals are stressed by your touch and you might provoke an attack. Finally: Many things underwater have spines, which either hurt a lot or are poisonous and above all are not recognizable at first sight. So better keep your fingers away.
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No flash, please! Photographing wildlife
An encounter with a wild animal is something we want to capture on a photo for eternity. But you should do this without flash and at a distance. Camera flashes are stressful and can cause damage, especially to nocturnal animals. Approaching too close can also make wildlife nervous. As soon as you notice signs of stress, pull back a bit.
While weāre on the subject of pictures: Refrain from taking photos of you petting or holding a wild animal. These animals are fed or sedated (why else would a lion let you touch it?). Rather, enjoy the wild animals that are simply be what they are in their habitat: wild animals.
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Animal friendly travel ā Get involved!
Animal suffering is not always obvious at first sight. Animals cannot tell us that they are treated in a bad way, and especially flight animals like horses seldom show it. Therefore, our first advice is to listen to your gut. If you feel something is weird or harming the animals, avoid the attraction or offering. Better yet, report it to your tour operator or an animal welfare organization.
However, you donāt have to miss out on special animal encounters during your animal friendly travel. We have already introduced you to sanctuaries and reserves as an alternative above. There is nothing wrong with safaris and whale watching in and of itself, as long as they are animal-friendly. The same goes for carriage rides, horseback rides and the like.
But maybe watching isnāt enough for you. Maybe you are inspired now to get involved in the welfare of (wild) animals. Then, here are a few ideas for you on how you can become active in animal welfare while traveling.Ā
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Animal welfare at hotels: Projects to join
There is always an opportunity for becoming involved during an animal friendly travel. Sometimes even in your hotel. The Thai resort The Tongsai Bay, for example, has been supporting a stray animal aid and shelter for years, which takes care of the stray dogs and cats on the island and provides them with medical care. As a guest, you can visit the shelter and, if you like, sponsor one of the animals.
But thatās not where the animal welfare stops. In the natural forest around the guest villas of The Tongsai Bay, you can observe numerous wild animals directly from the room window, and they feel right at home in the old trees. In the luxurious hotel Keemala on Phuket, some animals from the animal protection have even found their forever home, among them is a water buffalo.
At Berghotel Rehlegg, they have dedicated themselves to breeding the endangered black Alpine pig, thus preventing the extinction of the domestic breed. Many Green PearlsĀ® hotels maintain their own beehives or have established gardens and wild meadows that provide shelter and food for insects and other creatures.
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Extra: Coral Reforastation
A special kind of animal conservation is available to (experienced) divers. They can support the conservation of coral reefs by helping marine biologists with reforestation and monitoring. This is possible, for example, in the Maldives within the framework of the Coral Line Project of Gili Lankanfushi.
You want to know more about ocean conservation and the protaction of corals at the Gili Lankanfushi erfahren? Then you should read the interview with the two marine biologists of the resort.
In Thailand, too, various diving schools offer to help preserve the underwater world. A special diving experience for animal lovers and animal conservationists.
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But not only in the Green PearlsĀ® Hotels will you find what you are looking for. Nature Trusts and National Parks also offer tours where you can accompany rangers and biologists and help with counting, tracking or similar. You can do this, for example, in the Abruzzo National Park in northern Italy.
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Tell, report, share
One important way you can contribute to wildlife conservation without much effort is to tell others about it. Make other travelers aware of practices that are against animal welfare and explain what animal friednly travel is and how it works. Tell them about animal-friendly alternatives and recommend rescue centers or providers that you are sure are acting in the best interests of the animals.
You can also do this from home by telling your friends and family about your sustainable and animal friendly travel, but also by writing reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and other platforms. Remember to share not only your negative experiences, but also positive examples š
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Food and animal welfare
Letās come back to ourselves. In our daily lives, whether traveling or at home, we can also work towards animal welfare.
By eating as little meat or as vegetarian or vegan as possible, we can effectively curb animal suffering. Even more, when traveling. Especially if you are traveling in countries where the cuisine is vegetarian or low in meat anyway, you should not insist on meat. Meat is usually only offered to tourists and is either imported at a high price or the animals are kept under terrible conditions.
However, a vegan diet does not only affect the welfare of farm animals. We can renaturalize the land, that we donāt need for keeping cattle or the growing its food. Thus, again more habitat for the wild animals develops, which became particularly in the culture landscape of the west of Europe a scarce commodity.
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Conclusion and summary ā Animal friendly travel
Part of sustainable travel is animal welfare. We all enjoy encounters with wildlife that we only know from television, books, or zoos. But this encounter should not only be pleasant for us, but also for the animal. For us as travelers, this sometimes means that it becomes more tedious to see an animal, and maybe we donāt even see it at all. Or, we forgo the carriage ride in downtown Vienna, donāt visit the elephant station, and search forums and blogs for animal-friendly alternatives.
Of course, this costs time in preparation and on site searching for the wild animals. But letās be honest: would you really rather see the leopard that was lured with food just to make a check mark on your list? Or isnāt it much more valuable when you actually spot him after hours, maybe days, of searching and watch him go about his natural daily routine?
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Tell us in the comments or on Instagram. We look forward to hearing about your experience!
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