Conservation Tips for travelers

While traveling

Back at home

 

While traveling

Try not to disturb the wildlife by your approach: it may seem trivial if an animal flees from its feedfing, breeding or resting site, but

• if such disturbances become common, the animal (and perhaps a whole group of animals) may eventually avoid their preferred feeding grounds altogether and start regularly feedi9ng in less productive sites instead, affecting their general health and that of their young
• your may frighten an infant away from its mother, or frighten the mother enough to flee without her infant: they may fail to re-establish conact before the infant starves or is caught by a predator
• the animal may be close to exhaustion and desperately need a rest which you have now interrupted
• the animal may be in the spot that it is because the temperature elsewnere is very hot or very cold, and the animal now has to expend more energey in coping with this (e.g. a kangaroo resting in the shade on a hot day, a lizard basking in the sun on a cold morning, a penguin protecting her egg from icy winds)

Do not insist that guides approach animals closer thasn they are preapred to do so - trained guides that follow their routes regularly will know how close they can safely approach without disturbing the wildlife

Do not approach bird nests unless with a trtained guide who assures you it is safe to do so

Avoid flushing birds for identification unless involved woth a monitoring team and doiong so under controlled conditions

Do not take flashlight photos directly into the faces of nocturnal animals, especially those whice fly or glide

If self-driving,

• be very careful at dawn and dusk, when many animals are especially active and visibility is poor
• if you do collide with an animal and it is still alive (or a baby in its pouch is still alive) phone the RSPCA line 1300ANIMAL or one of the wildlife carer groups
• when leaving a National Park or other area where wildife may be close to your vehicle, especially on a hot day or where animals have been fed by other tourists, check underneath and behind your vehicle before starting it

Do not feed wildlife except in areas where the guide or landowner provide you with good reasons why it is not harmful in this particular case. Indiscriminant feeding can:

• increase the numkbers of aggresseive or predatory species at the expense of others
• satisfy animals' appetites with inappropriate foods so that they do not feed on their natural foods and fail to acquire sufficient nourishment
• cause some animals to become aggressive when the next tourist does not feed them - it some cases this can be dangerous (especially with dingos), leading to human injury or even death and the destruction of animals
• alter the natural behaviour of animals, so that they no longer represent a truly wild and natural example of wildlife - important for wildlife conservation generally as well as subsequent wildlife tourism and scientific inquiry
• lead to dieasse, either because of bacteria in the food itself or by encouraging animals to congregate more dendely than is natural
• lead to increased aggression between animals because of dense aggregation, sometimes leading to high stress levels, even to the point where some need to be euthanazed

When visiting a National Park,

• take your rubbish out with you and dispose of in an appropriate place - apart from looking unsightly and spoiling the expereicne for other travelers, it can cause disease, dependency (if edible) and injurry to wildlfie
• do not collect any kind of animal or plant material unless you have a permit to do so
• do not take pets with you - it is forbidden, as they may kill or disturb wildlife or (even harmless-seeming pets such as budgies or goldfish) bring disease, and it is not comfortable or safe for them to leave them in your car as you walk - arrange to leave them somewhere safe while you enjoy the Park without them. There are other areas such as some state forests and council reserves where you may take your dog for exercise on a leash.

Join a conservation volunteer scheme such as Conservation Voulnteers Austraoia or Earthwatch and really contribute something to conservation while traveling

Donate towards conservation projects in the country you are traveling in

Select tour operators and ecolodges that demonstrate a concern for wildlife conservation (eco-accreditation is one good sign, but also judge by what you observe and by your questions before signing up)

Report any breaches of wildlife conservation or animal welfare you see on your travels - tell the local national parks officials, police or animal welfare organization as appropriate - also email us with your example

Some relevant conservation-oriented organizations:

Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF)Australian Koala FoundationAustralian Marine Conservation SocietyDolphin Research InstituteEarth Sanctuaries LtdGreenpeaceHumane Society InternationalInternational Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)ORRCA IncPacific Whale FoundationQueensland Frog SocietyRoyal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)The Wildlife Preservation Society of AustraliaWildlife Preservation Society of QueenslandWorld Conservation Union (IUCN) Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) plus various natural history and wildlife caraers groups around Australia

also:Join Wildlife Tourism Australia

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Back at home

Conserve and Restore Habitats

	Plant native plants in your backyard. Why?
	Do not dump weeds in the bush. Why?
	Build nest boxes in areas that have no old trees. Why?
	Build a frog pond in your backyard. Why?
	If you visit a national park or nature reserve, then make sure you look after the area by respecting some simple ground rules. Why? Put your rubbish in the bin or take it home with you. Why? Leave your pets at home as they can kill wildlife. Why? Do not take anything out of the park, e.g. flowers, rocks, bird eggs, etc. Why?
	Encourage your friends and relatives to keep patches of bush as wildlife habitats and to leave old trees standing on their property. Why?

	Join a community group and offer to do voluntary work. Why?
	Find out about conservation activities happening in your local area. Get involved! Why?
	Participate in local clean-up, tree planting and weed control activities. Why?

	Find out all you can about threatened plants and animals in Australia. Why?
	Go to your local library or browse through related websites to learn about what threatened species live in your area, what they look like, what they eat and where they live. Why?
	When you go bushwalking, take some binoculars and a field guide with you and take note of the different plants and animals you see. Why?

	Always support promotions for the conservation of wildlife: Wear a 'save the koala' tattoo to support the plight of this unique animal. Why? Buy chocolate bilbies at Easter, not bunnies. Why? Always buy 'dolphin-free' tuna and 'save the whale' products. Why?
	Refuse to buy any rare or endangered plant or animal product including furs, ivory, reptile-skin goods, meats, oils, bones, stuffed animals, etc. Why?
	Be alert and drive slowly at dawn and dusk, especially near bushland and in rural areas where wildlife may be active. Why?
	If you do have an accident involving wildlife, please pull over at a safe place and remove the dead animal from the road. Make sure you check for young in the pouch. Why?
	When you go fishing, throw back fish that are too small and be careful not to lose your lines, hooks, sinkers and nets in the water. Why?

	Control and desex your pets. Attach a bell to your cat's collar and keep them indoors at night. Why?
	Do not dump pets in the bush. Why?
	Prevent your pet cats and dogs from attacking and 'playing' with wildlife. Why?

	Take your own bag when you go shopping. Why?
	Sort rubbish into things that can be reused and recycled. If there is anything that you don't want or use, but is still in good condition, give it to charity. Why?
	Make compost and use it on your own garden as a cheap, environmentally friendly fertiliser. Why?
	Make an effort to pick up litter and rubbish that could harm wildlife. Why?