Conscientious Wildlife Travel

At the beginning: A Plan

“What world did they come from?” I wondered. Then I fell down the rhino hole.

It turns out that rhino conservation exists in a shadowy borderlands between the hope and despair of globalism — global crime rings and black markets, national politics and corruption. I like to think that somewhere, in the vast savannahs or thick jungles, there are some hidden wild rhinos, some that aren’t collared or chipped or tracked or fenced in or photo trapped or held in a zoo.

But this is the anthropocene, a great rail yard where global development and population growth converge on diverse species and millions of years of evolution, trying hard to avoid a crash. On the one hand, massive train wreck seems inevitable. But down on the yard, conscientious people fastidiously pull switches to keep the trains flowing smoothly. All this has raised the stakes on watching and enjoying nature, particularly our great mammals.

I want connection to that greater wildlife world. And I’m not alone in this.

Quietly tiptoeing alongside working wildlife lovers like me, American business leaders with large pockets look for wildlife investments in foreign countries. They may be zoo owners or hunters. They may be travelers investing in luxury lodges on the Namibian desert. They love animals; they seek trophies; they want return on their investments. Whatever our paltry human reasons, it’s the best chance the anthropocene has to offer. Our goals align; we should all be working together.

The requirements of the conscientious wildlife traveler can urge nations towards stability. Multiplying their demands through tour outfits, hunting clubs, investment groups, photography groups and conservation NGOs, they have the potential to bring a lot of good — jobs, money, sustainable practices.

So why conscientious travel?

As I read the Tweets and follow the local papers of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, the dark side oozes up everywhere. Poverty, poaching, corruption ever threaten to upset the conservation balance: An elephant tramples a farmer. The family seeks restitution (or retribution, = dead elephant). A black market king pin is caught but not prosecuted. Two lions massacre 172 sheep. A young poacher is killed on sight. A whole crash of rhinos is found slaughtered. All this threatens to dismantle conservation work along with prosperity for the greater good.

Namibia, Botswana, South Africa — they seem breathtakingly beautiful. But even on a quick Google search, you can also see the underbelly.

In these countries, hopeful environmental ministers try to maintain habitats and animals while also responding to agrarian people’s demands — “give us a reason to support these animals!”

If I travel there, I would like to support the beauty, so that the future can be more beautiful. But here’s where I bump into an information void. What does it mean to support sustainability across all these very different nations?

A traveler can become a volunteer (which includes a “donation” — basically pay to play) or sign up for eco travel through a number of organizations — many of them based in South Africa and the UK. Eco-travel websites and brochures promise that when you book with them you will be supporting “sustainability,” local people, wildlife.

I joined a travel forum to hear from eco-travelers. I heard things like “I assume my contribution went to the community” or “I hope my visit helps these people out.” These travelers offered a vague sense of how the system operates. In fact, what determines a good system? For example, as governments and NGOs evaluate a community to receive eco-tourism support, what are they looking for? Can my travel decision help a community to grow or thrive?

Namibia, a country with vast desert land (made famous by “the desert elephants” — and there are also desert lions) is known for its effective water management. How does a traveler support sustainable practices? How does she avoid encouraging or contributing to exploitation?

I am not someone to embark on an eco-adventure trusting that my travel company is choosing experiences that will exert the most positive influence. I’m more of a big picture person.

I applaud the vision of rhino-inhabited nations like Namibia and Botswana as they seek to conserve both wildlife and habitats while building human prosperity. Knowing colonialism, corruption, and poverty are always lurking in the bushes as the wallet comes out, as a traveler, I also want know how my choices can push on the hopeful agenda and move it forward.

I have singled out Namibia for now. When I go, you bet I want to see rhinos. But I also want to meet the people and better understand the challenges. I want to contribute because I feel that if they can get it right, and sustainable systems work to support the disparate peoples in an evnironment quite indifferent to human prosperity, then their bold experiments may return to help the hurtling Western world some day.

* * *

This begins a series, Conscientious Wildlife Travel — Have Fun; Make Change. Hopefully, animal lovers, travelers, culture buffs, and conservationists alike will find it interesting.

I chose Namibia and Botswana for my travels, for reasons that will come up in the series. Articles will include interviews with people running eco-friendly businesses, sanctuary operators, safari hunting experts, conservation experts, environmental experts. It will include advisory updates from America’s new International Wildlife Conservation Council.

Over time, I hope that travelers might want to visit these beautiful wild places. And those who want to support conserving the habitats and populations of endangered animals will feel confident as travelers, knowing how to have maximum impact.

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