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Travel Journal: Safari tourism with a side of moral crisis
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The writer visited a safari park in South Africa in 2016, and was allowed to pet lion cubs.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF SARAH STANLEY
Follow topic:
- Experiential wildlife tourism is growing with safaris and resorts, but ethical concerns arise between conservation and commercialisation, requiring scrutiny.
- Conservation success should not focus only on breeding as animal welfare and psychological well-being are important factors to consider.
- Visitors should ask questions about the origin and treatment of animals to ensure they are not funding potential animal exploitation.
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SINGAPORE – Coming face to face with a wild cat was never on my bucket list. But in 2016, I found myself in a safari park in the city of Roodepoort, South Africa, ticking it off anyway.
As part of a wildlife experience package, I was ushered into a small open-air enclosure with three free-roaming lion cubs and a large rock structure where visitors could pose for photos.
