Skip to content

Top Navigation

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Trip Inspiration
  • Plan Your Trip
  • World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises
  • Travel Tips
  • News
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Explore

    Explore

    • World's Best

      World's Best

      The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. Read More Next
    • The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021

      The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021

      Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2021. Read More Next
    • Let's Go Together Podcast

      Let's Go Together Podcast

      Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Hosted by Kellee Edwards. Read More Next
  • Trip Inspiration

    Trip Inspiration

    • Trip Ideas
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Spring Travel
    • Summer Travel
    • Fall Travel
    • Winter Travel
    • Solo Travel
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Luxury Travel
    • Beach Vacations
    • Adventure Travel
    • Road Trips
    • Family Travel
    • National Parks
    • Holiday Travel
    • Travel Photography
    • Photo of the Day
    • Culture and Design
  • Plan Your Trip

    Plan Your Trip

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line hopes to resume sailing out of the U.S. on or around July 4.
    • Travel Deals
    • Attractions
    • BookTandL.com
    • Amusement Parks
    • Festivals and Events
    • Bus and Trains
    • Flight Deals
    • Budget Travel
    • Hotels and Resorts
    • Disney Vacations
    • Airlines and Airports
    • Ground Transportation
    • Travel Guides
  • World's Best

    World's Best

    • Top Hotels
    • Top Cities
    • Top Islands
    • Domestic Airlines
    • International Airlines
    • Tours
    • Safaris
    • See All World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises

    Cruises

    • Find A Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • River Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • All-Inclusive Cruises
    • Family Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • See All Cruise Vacations
  • Travel Tips

    Travel Tips

    • Travel Trends
    • Packing Tips
    • Points + Miles
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
    • Weather
    • Mobile Apps
    • See All Travel Tips
  • News

    News

    • Wellness
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Animals
    • Jobs
    • Offbeat
    • See All News
  • Food + Drink

    Food + Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Cooking + Entertaining
    • Food Fairs + Festivals
    • World's Best Restaurants
    • See All Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories

    Travel Accessories

    • Travel Bags
    • Shoes
    • Travel Tech
    • Shopping
    • Style
    • Gift Guides
    • See All Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Animals
  3. The Right and Wrong Ways to Interact With Wild Animals While Traveling

The Right and Wrong Ways to Interact With Wild Animals While Traveling

By Jess McHugh
July 06, 2017
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Gorillas, Volcanoes National Park, Rawanda, Africa
Credit: Rebecca Yale/Getty Images
Animal lovers have long sought ways of interacting with their favorite creatures while traveling. A vacation to destinations in Africa and Asia often allows visitors the chance to see many animals in the wild, or even to get close enough to touch them.

But not all animal experiences are good for the animal — or safe for the human — and travelers concerned with engaging in ethical animal tourism need to be careful about how they get close to their furry friends.

Activities that were once considered harmless fun, such as visiting a circus or swimming with dolphins, can be exploitative and even deadly for the animals involved.

Travelers need to do their research on any animal experience they want to have to make sure that the animals are given the proper care they deserve. One of the best ways to do that is to try to discern the intent of any experience claiming to be ethical, according to one expert.

“The number of roadside zoos that have tacked on the word ‘sanctuary’ or ‘rescue’ to their names has skyrocketed in recent years. Kind people are naturally drawn to places that claim to rescue animals and offer them sanctuary, but many of these outfits are nothing more than breeders, dealers, and exhibitors who exploit the public's goodwill and generosity,” Catie Cryar, spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), told Travel + Leisure in an email.

Another red flag to watch out for is any situation in which the animals are expected to perform in some way, whether it's posing for selfies or doing tricks for treats. The most humane and organic experiences with animals are those where the animals just get to be themselves, said Susie Coston, the national shelter director for Farm Sanctuary.

Coston's organization gives homes to formerly abused farm animals and allows members of the public to visit and stay in their cabins to immerse themselves in the sanctuaries’ activities.

“I think we have become such a culture of having to have a selfie instead of allowing an animal to just have their experience,” Coston told T+L. “I think there’s other ways of getting people to appreciate animals without needing them to entertain you.”

We've rounded up ideas for some of the best activities to see and interact with animals, as well as common missteps to avoid.
Start Slideshow

1 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda

Gorillas, Volcanoes National Park, Rawanda, Africa
Credit: Rebecca Yale/Getty Images

Gorrilla trekking is an activity that allows visitors in parts of Uganda and Rwanda to see these great animals in their natural habitat. The hikes can be grueling and are often spread over multiple days, but with only a few hundred mountain gorillas left in existence, the experience is once in a lifetime.

The gorillas live on protected land, and the treks provide a valuable source of income to local economies, making this activity sustainable both for the animals and the nearby communities.

1 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Walking With Giraffes

Giraffe Manor
Credit: Courtesty of The Safari Collection

Giraffe Manor is a boutique hotel situated within the Giraffe Centre, a sanctuary in Nairobi, Kenya. The Giraffe Centre has helped repopulate the endangered Rothschild giraffes of the region, and guests at the hotel can take guided walks with the graceful species.

2 of 11

3 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Hanging With Farm Animals in New York and California

Farm Sanctuary
Credit: Courtesy of Farm Sanctuary

Farm Sanctuary is a rescue center for farm animals with locations in California and upstate New York. The group has helped rescue animals suffering from cruelty of all kinds and given them a location to live out the rest of their lives in peace.

Visitors to the sanctuary can stay in their cozy cabins or tiny homes and interact with some of their cows, pigs, goats, and chickens.

3 of 11

Advertisement

4 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Lion Protection in South Africa

Four Paws
Credit: Courtesy of FOUR PAWS/Bogdan Baraghin

Lionsrock is a big cat sanctuary in South Africa which is part of the international animal welfare non-profit Four Paws. The shelter provides a home for big cats that were exploited, often in circuses or other forms of entertainment.

Lionsrock provides different habitats that cater to the various big cat species in their care.

4 of 11

5 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Whale Watching

Ethical animals
Credit: Betty Wiley/Getty Images

Participants in whale watching tours, whether in Alaska, Cape Cod, or California, can see the enormous mammals breach and swim about. Proper whale watching tour boats stay far enough way from the animals to protect their safety while still allowing viewers to witness their beauty.

5 of 11

6 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Visiting a National Park

Bison Yellowstone
Credit: Jouko van der Kruijssen/Getty Images

National parks around the world are an excellent way to see wild animals in a habitat that will continue to be protected by the government. Yellowstone National Park is home to an array of flora and fauna, including the bison.

6 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Snorkeling with Sea Turtles

snorkeling
Credit: M Swiet Productions/Getty Images

Snorkeling is a great way to see marine life up close without disturbing them. When done properly, it's a safe way to learn about the habitats of many endangered species as well as the obstacles faced by the reefs themselves.

7 of 11

8 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Swimming With Pigs in the Exumas, Bahamas

Swimming Pigs, The Exumas
Credit: shalamov/Getty Images

Swimming with the pigs in the Bahamas used to be on the bucket list of many animal-loving travelers. Recent events, including when a pig died after being fed alcohol, have revealed the potentially problematic nature of this activity.

With little supervision of the interactions, this activity can be incredibly dangerous for the animals involved. Travelers set on seeing pigs in the Exumas can ensure the safety of the pigs by not feeding them on the sand or giving them food outside of their usual diet. And travelers who are interested in seeing pigs can also look into visiting a rescue operation such as Farm Sanctuary or Animal Place..

8 of 11

9 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Petting Leopards or Other Major Predators

Leopard cub
Credit: Denise Truscello/Getty Images

Attractions where visitors can pet baby leopards or lions often results in the cubs being taken from their mothers when they're very young. Being pet by humans at an early age can also confuse their predatory instincts, making it more difficult for them to ever be released into the wild.

Interacting with large cats is often not possible, as they are apex predators. Those interested can instead donate or volunteer off-site for an accredited sanctuary, such as The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minnesota.

9 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Swimming With Dolphins

Dolphin swimming
Credit: Roberto Machado Noa/Getty Images

As with the cubs of big cats, dolphins used for dolphin shows or other attractions are often taken from their mothers at an early age. When dragging around heavy humans, they can also experience damage to their fins.

10 of 11

11 of 11

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Riding Elephants

Elephants
Credit: Jester Alcaraz/Getty Images

Riding elephants often causes the animals extreme exhaustion that can lead to back problems or even worse.

Elephant lovers can find legitimate rescues through the organization the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries that verifies animal rescue operations are giving their animals proper care.

11 of 11

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Jess McHugh

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 11 Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda
2 of 11 Walking With Giraffes
3 of 11 Hanging With Farm Animals in New York and California
4 of 11 Lion Protection in South Africa
5 of 11 Whale Watching
6 of 11 Visiting a National Park
7 of 11 Snorkeling with Sea Turtles
8 of 11 Swimming With Pigs in the Exumas, Bahamas
9 of 11 Petting Leopards or Other Major Predators
10 of 11 Swimming With Dolphins
11 of 11 Riding Elephants

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap
  • Travel Guide Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Other Travel + Leisure Sites
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
Meredith Travel + Leisure is part of the Travel + Leisure Group. Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Travel + Leisure is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation Travel + Leisure Group All Rights Reserved, registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.travelandleisure.com

View image

The Right and Wrong Ways to Interact With Wild Animals While Traveling
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.