Have you ever thought about what may happen when Tourism is given an Upper hand, instead of Wildlife Welfare?

Have you ever thought about what may happen when Tourism is given an Upper hand, instead of Wildlife Welfare? Where does wildlife welfare comes in, when we are busy making tourism palatable and desirable to our target market? Aren’t we supposed to put wildlife first?

Do we really care about wildlife welfare?

Would you say we care about our wildlife? How many veterinaries do we have dedicated to our national parks, reserves, and those other conservation areas? How accessible are they when wildlife needs them? How intense are our patrols to notice the unwell wildlife that may need medical attention? Away from the cameras, possible grants, and media PR, are we really there for our wildlife?

Wildlife Management

Who are the people we have entrusted to ensure our wildlife is well managed and taken good care of? Do they fit or even qualify for these jobs? Are their opinions supported and acted upon?

Where we have gaps, are they being addressed for the sake of wildlife welfare? Or are we ready to do anything for tourism boasting, without necessarily giving a thought of consequences to be upon wildlife?

Conclusion

Unfortunately, today I have questions and not answers.

They have been triggered by the suggestion of privatization of our national park, reserves, and other conservation areas. It seems the concerned body is not doing a good job and an external partner would do better.

The partner being looked for, is not necessarily after wildlife welfare but salvation of tourism.

Who said wildlife doesn’t have a right to live, just because tourism is not performing well anymore? Don’t they have the right to be with us, and enjoy our planet just like any other living organism? So they have to be economically useful, to stay alive?

I really hope that we all understand and support wildlife welfare over profits.