The Impact of Eco-Tourism on Wildlife

This picture shows tourists watching a lion from a game viewer car. While tourism contributes significantly to funding conservation efforts (Nixon, 2011), it also raises concerns about how human activity affects wildlife behavior and habitats. The lion's lack of interest in the observers indicates habituation, which could lead to problematic interactions between people and wildlife (Mills, 1997). From the perspective of multispecies justice, the rights of animals to exist free from human intervention are jeopardized (Hoffman & O’Riain, 2012).

The challenge lies in creating a balance between the need to maintain and preserve wildlife's natural habitats and behavior in light of our ethical obligations toward them. Encouraging eco-friendly tourism practices and enforcing stronger regulations regarding human-wildlife interactions are vital eco-actions (Kemp & Kemp, 1980). By implementing these measures, we can help ensure that the benefits of tourism do not come at the expense of wildlife welfare and ecological integrity, fostering a more harmonious coexistence between humans and the natural world.

Photo 4: A game viewer car with tourists that drives up very close to a male lion

This image was taken by me