Can wildlife tourism really assist wildlife conservation?

There is a lot of cynicism in some quarters, but also some very real possibilities:

• financial donations by operators and visitors
• enhanced appreciation of wildlife and understanding of their conservation problems by the public
• habitat conservation and restoration by tourism operators
• conservation breeding of rare and threatened species for subsequent release
• care of injured and orphaned wildlife by tour operators and wildlife parks
• monitoring for general conservation research and management
• watching for signs of illegal collection and other activities

We will be considering both current and past examples. What has been achieved already, and what on-going projects appear to be assisting conservation? What lessons have been learned?

The future: what are the possibilities for tourism operations, both large and small?

Stay tuned for further discussion

See also

• wildlife tourism conservation and research

• A study finding that the best conservation efforts happen in countries that depend on wildlife tourism https://qz.com/979450/the-countries-that-are-best-at-conservation-are-the-ones-that-depend-on-wildlife-tourism/ 
• Higginbottom, K., Northrope, C. and Green, R. J. 2001. The Positive Effects of Wildlife Tourism on Wildlife. Wildlife Tourism Research Report Series No. 6, Status Assessment of Wildlife Tourism in Australia Series, CRC for Sustainable Tourism
• http://www.mediaglobal.org/2012/02/16/tourism-can-save-wetlands/
• http://www.wildnavigator.com/2012/02/using-tourism-as-a-tool-for-sustaining-biodiversity-conservation/

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