2020-03-01_Wanderlust

GOINGGREEN

wanderlust.co.uk March 2020 79

Ifyouwanttovisitpristine

beaches,breatheinfresh

mountainairandwanderthrough

apicturesquetownwithclean

streets,youneedtocareand

respectfortheenvironments

you’retravellingtoandthrough.

Don’tlitter–evenbetter,pickup

litterifyouseeit.Ifnaturecalls,

doyourbusinessresponsibly.

Don’tleavetoiletpaper.Protect

naturalhabitatsbywatching

whereyouwalkandstickingto

paths.Insteadofdunebashing

onafour-wheel-drivetrip,takean

ethicalcameltrektoexplorethe

desert.Andwhendiving,protect

thereefsbytuckinginyour

equipmentsoyoudon’ttouchor

damagethecoral.

Getbacktonature

Inordertoprotectthe

environment,wealsohaveto

protectitsinhabitants.Animals

playanimportantpartinkeeping

Take care of the

environment

ecosystemshealthy

andsoweneedtoplayour

partinsafeguardingtheirfuture.

Wildlifetripscanbelife-changing

experiences,butdoyourresearch

andchoosecompaniescarefully.

Don’trideelephantsorpetlions

andstayawayfromdolphintours

thatluretheanimalstowards

boatswithfood.Actresponsibly

bynotfeedingwildanimalsand

keepingyourdistance.

Thereareanumberof

organisationsworkingtopromote

animal-friendlytravel.PETA(the

PeoplefortheEthicalTreatmentof

Animals)haslaunchedawardsto

celebratebusinessesmeetingthe

demandforveganandanimal-

friendlytravelproducts.Ryanair

wonthe 2019 BestIn-FlightMeal

foritsveganlasagne,whileVirgin

TrainsgottheawardforBest

TrainlineforVeganFood.There

isagrowingtrendformeat-free,

plant-basedfood.

5

sustainable

wildlife

experiences

1

Gorilla tracking in

Rwanda and Uganda

There are only around 1,000 gorillas

left in the wild but, thanks to eco-tourism,

numbers are on the rise. The price of visiting

is high, and rules are strict, but you’ll not

only be experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity, you’ll be helping protect the

gorillas and support local communities too.

2

Take a small boat to

the Galápagos

While too much tourism on fragile

ecosystems such as the Galápagos can have

a negative impact, the funds generated are

also used for conservation in the area. The

Galápagos Island NP have strict guidelines

to follow to protect the islands’ unique  lora

and fauna, but small boat trips are a great

way to see the wildlife, such as the giant

tortoises, and help make a di†erence.

3

See tigers in India

Areas with the highest density of

tigers in India is also where

eco-tourism thrives. While this does not

mean tourism is directly bene icial for tigers,

the funds raised from environmentally

conscious visitors are having a positive

impact by helping protect tigers from

poachers. Try Bandhavgarh National Park

and Kanha NP in Madhya Pradesh.

4

Whale-watching

in Iceland

Iceland may not have banned

whale hunting yet, but the way forward is to

support whale-watching trips in the country,

making them more valuable alive than dead.

Book with tour operators who follow strict

guidelines – don’t get too close or make too

much noise. Other places to whale-watch

include the Azores and New Zealand.

5

See polar bears on an

Arctic cruise

Seeing a polar bear in its natural

environment can make you understand the

importance of conserving them and this is

increasingly important as the ice continues

to melt and the polar bear’s habitat is

encroached upon.

Gorillas in the mist

A mountain gorilla

observes tourists in

the forest

Alamy

⊳

⊲

TOP TIP

Clean your boots!

Transporting seeds

and insect eggs to

different locations

could lead to

invasive species.