- Though many tour operators focus on protecting the wildlife, environment, and local community their clients are immersed in during safaris, greenwashing — or more accurately, “conservation-washing” — is a growing problem.
- In this commentary, a safari operator with more than 35 years of experience shares his reflections and offers red flags to watch out for before hiring a company.
- “We each hold the power to influence the safari industry by choosing operators that build their tours around true conservation while uplifting local communities. Being vigilant for conservation-washing is ultimately our responsibility, and it’s one we should all take very seriously,” he argues.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
You don’t need safari experience to understand the allure: spotting majestic wildlife in sweeping landscapes is inherently captivating, and it’s the reason this type of adventure travel has stood the test of time. But while many safari tour operators tout their focus on protecting the animals, environments and local communities that travelers are immersed in during their trip, greenwashing — or perhaps more accurately, “conservation-washing” — in safari travel is a growing problem.
I’ve been an Africa enthusiast since elementary school, and a safari tour guide for more than 35 years. During that time, I’ve seen the incredible things that these trips can teach travelers about our natural world, and the good that safari tourism can do for local communities and conservation efforts. I’ve also seen the darker side of the industry, where tours are based solely around the spectacle of seeing a specific animal, no matter the cost.
It’s important that adventure travelers understand the difference between being a citizen of the wild and merely a paying visitor.
The negatives of “skin-deep conservation” are many, but some stand out as the most detrimental:
Predator baiting and animal habituation
I know as well as anyone the disappointment of not being able to secure a genuine wildlife sighting, despite everything else being perfect. But when the risk of a no-show leads to unethical practices, a line must be drawn. In some instances, a tour provider may facilitate a wildlife sighting by baiting predatory animals or habituating wildlife to human presence. This not only increases the odds of a potentially dangerous encounter, it also disrupts the natural order and skews animal behavior in a dramatic way. Animal welfare should always come first.
Overuse and abuse of natural resources
In regions enduring drought conditions (seasonal or otherwise) or lacking infrastructure, the overuse of natural resources can exacerbate environmental degradation. Tour providers can still offer luxurious lodge accommodations to travelers without harming the local environment or exploiting scarce resources relied upon by local communities.
Modifying game trails and removing vegetation are other unethical practices that some tour providers might engage in, hoping to curate the experience rather than offering travelers a true glimpse of nature. These alterations can have a cascading effect on wildlife behavior and threaten the integrity of their habitat.
Exclusion of conservation experts
True conservation requires collaboration with both local experts and organizations that specialize in each region’s natural ecosystem. A tour operator that isn’t actually interested in conservation may tout the name of a conservation group without actively engaging with them or bringing them into the tour planning process.
This deprives both tour guides and travelers of valuable educational opportunities. Leaving these valuable scientific insights on the table is a clear sign that a tour company is interested in using conservation as a selling point, rather than abiding by a conservation-centric ethos.
Exploitation of local communities
It is our mandate as safari tour guides to work hand in hand with local communities whenever possible. These individuals live and work year-round in the destinations we merely visit, and it is vital that we listen and learn from them. Some safari operations treat these individuals like second-class citizens, offering exploitative wages and doing little to build goodwill. This inevitably fosters resentment, which can further hinder genuine conservation initiatives in these areas.
How to identify authentic conservation
Travelers seeking safari experiences that benefit the animals, habitat and locals they see along the way should do what they can to verify their chosen tour operator’s commitments to conservation:
- Transparency: Reputable operators will always provide detailed information about ongoing conservation efforts and, more importantly, partner with conservation groups to enhance the safari experience at every juncture.
- Community engagement: Operators that actively engage with local communities to contribute resources and aid in their development are the ones to seek out. When considering a safari tour, ask about interaction with the communities that reside there.
- Environmental practices: Assess the operator’s commitment to environmental activism: ask about waste management, habitat preservation, and find out how the lodges are powered. Tour operators that brush aside these queries are rarely interested in true conservation.
Red flags
Be cautious of operators who:
- Guarantee specific wildlife sightings: Nature is unpredictable, and while responsible tour guides will do everything they can to get you the photo or sighting you want, promising specific animals is a bad sign.
- Offer direct interactions with wild animals: There are no ethical ways for a tour operator to set up physical interactions with wild animals. Sure, a giraffe might wander over to your tour vehicle, but planning such interactions as tentpoles of a tour experience is simply not an ethical approach.
- Use vague terms like “eco-friendly” without evidence: Unfortunately, travelers have to be fact-checkers when it comes to responsible tourism, so dig below the surface and you’ll see whether an operator is truly in it for the right reasons, or is just using environmentalism as window dressing.
We each hold the power to influence the safari industry by choosing operators that build their tours around true conservation, while uplifting local communities.
Being vigilant for conservation-washing is ultimately our responsibility, and it’s one we should all take very seriously.
Tom LaRock has more than 35 years of experience as a safari tour operator, and is co-founder and CEO of Rewild Safaris.
Related audio from Mongabay’s podcast: How the Wildlife Conservation Network gets conservation cash into the hands of local communities, listen here:
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