Watch - don't touch

A new report giving an insight into the benefits and risks of wildlife watching has been launched by the Convention on Migratory Species in co-operation with tour operator, TUI AG.

The report, 'Wildlife Watching and Tourism – A study on the benefits and risks of a fast growing tourism activity and its impact on species' comes to the conclusion that wildlife watching tourism can make important contributions to community development and conservation by raising awareness of the animals observed and their habitats, by creating revenues for conservation, and by creating jobs and income for local communities. At the same time this activity needs to be carefully planned and managed by government agencies, the tourism sector and conservation managers to avoid negative impacts. The report presents 12 case studies, including watching gorillas, whales, whale sharks, penguins and the monarch butterfly.

The report was launched at the meeting of the Convention on Biodiversity in Brazil, where at a side event Nicolas Entrup, Managing Director of WDCS in Germany, presented “Whale watching: opportunities and pitfalls”. This case study highlighted the potential of high quality whale watching for conservation, research, education and especially the financial revenue generated by this form of wildlife watching. With out of the blue, WDCS has set up its own specialised tour operation that provides a shining example of positive whale watching, including the promotion of observing cetaceans from land-based sites.

The presentation showcased whale watching activities in Latin America, especially Patagonia, Argentina.

A similar focus was been given of potential negative impacts such tourism activities can create if not managed well. Ship Collisions, disturbance and harassment, and also feeding dolphins are just some threats that can be caused.

The presenters at the Panel were clear about one thing: Wildlife Watching as form of non-lethal use of wildlife can generate substantial financial revenues for local communities and the private sector and contribute to conservation efforts.

The whole report, written by Richard Tapper, can be downloaded at:
http://www.cms.int/publications/wildlifewatching.pdf

Quotes from the official UNEP/CMS press release:

Migratory Species Treaty Underlines Role of Wildlife Tourism for Development Goals at Biological Diversity Meeting

Wildlife watching is fast becoming a multi-million if not multi-billion dollar industry with the potential to fight poverty by pumping vital income into local communities and conservation initiatives.

The findings come from a new report launched today at the meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) taking place in Curitiba, Brazil.

Robert Hepworth, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS) which commissioned the report, said the study underlined that many wild animals were “worth far more alive than dead”.

“It is clear that sensitive and well managed whale, dolphin, gorilla and bird watching can generate real and long lasting economic returns when compared with the often short term income from catching them for food, processing and trade,” he added.

People whale watching, for example, are spending over a billion US dollars a year on this activity benefiting close to 500 communities globally says the report Wildlife Watching and Tourism.

..

The report, produced in collaboration with the tourism group TUI, focuses on 12 case studies to highlight the growing economic importance of wildlife watching while flagging some of the pitfalls that may arise through poor or insensitive management.

..

A string of concrete recommendations are made on how best to promote environmentally, economically and socially sound wildlife watching, including advice to visitors, drivers and divers.

Zoning schemes, special management areas, fee programmes and visitors schemes are meant to regulate the activity on a broader scale.

Paola Deda, coordinator of CMS’s wildlife watching initiative, said: “The motto ‘Watch—Don’t Touch' might sum up the advice emerging from this research. Tourists need to also respect basic rules. These include: no physical contact with animals, safety distances and no visits if you are ill, up to the removal of litter and the sensible use of flash photography. This should be accompanied by careful planning on the part of the responsible local or national authorities”.

..

“International tour operators can contribute to improving performance and supporting conservation” states Dr. Michael Iwand, Executive Director of Corporate Environmental Management at TUI.

“The health of ecosystems and species is very much at the heart of the tourism business, as animals are often one of the main attractions in tourist destinations. This means, however, that it is necessary to understand thoroughly the effects of tourism on wildlife to provide better monitoring, visitor management and controls on wildlife watching,” he added.

**

Invited Speakers were: Jochen Flasbarth, Director General, Nature Protection and Sustainable Use, Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany; Biodiversity and tourism: planning for a sustainable balance Michael Iwand, Executive Director, Corporate Environmental Management, TUI-AG, Partnership for Wildlife. The role of tourism: creating value, avoiding risk. Richard Tapper, Director, Environment Business and Development Group; Economic, social and conservation benefits from wildlife watching. Nicolas Entrup, CEO, WDCS Germany; Whale Watching: Opportunities and Pitfalls Paola Deda, Inter-agency Liaison Officer, CMS Secretariat; How to address risks to the sustainability of wildlife watching: conclusions and recommendations.