2002-The International Year of Ecotourism

W e should all be lucky enough to experience the exhilaration of driving across the Maasai Mara land in Kenya and seeing a cheetah on the hunt; the surprise of seeing minke whales surface around a boat on a brisk afternoon whale-watching adventure off the coast of Maine; the haunting sounds of the morning calls of endangered lemurs in Madagascar (the indri) from high in the rainforest's treetops; the awesome magnitude of Victoria Falls, dividing Zimbabwe and Zambia, and whitewater rafting down the Zambezi river; or watching vibrantly colored toucans eating bananas from a nearby tree while drinking your morning coffee in Costa Rica.

"Ecotourism"-adventurous travels based on the splendors of the natural world, including wildlife and wild places-is a vital part of the conservation of the environment and the animal species living within it. It is also a fundamental mechanism to assist local communities in their economic development by bringing in foreign visitors, and foreign dollars, to these indigenous peoples. This is why it is so important that the United Nations (UN) declared 2002 the "International Year of Ecotourism."

The UN Resolution making the declaration notes "that travel and tourism provide a source of income for many people," and "that travel and tourism contribute to the conservation, protection and restoration of the Earth's ecosystem." After agriculture, tourism is the biggest benefactor to the development of Kenya's economy. Wildlife-viewing safaris bring about one million visitors to the country annually. Whale-watching alone is thought to bring in a total of more than one billion dollars to the economies of 80 countries across the globe.

A toucan eats a morning breakfast of bananas at La Laguna del Lagarto Lodge in northern Costa Rica near the Nicaraguan border. (Ben Dykes/Born Free Foundation)

---

But ecotourism must be responsible tourism. On Cat Ba Island in Vietnam, for instance, the near extinct Cat Ba, or golden-headed langur, clings to life (this primate was featured on the cover of the Fall 2001 AWI Quarterly). More than 70,000 tourists visit the island each year and while tourism supports the local economy, it also leads to difficulties in waste disposal, which fouls the natural environment, as well as increased pressures to build intrusive roads and bridges to accommodate the visitors. As well, Tilo Nadler of the Endangered Primate Rescue Center in Vietnam reports, "The tourist demand for wild-animal meat increases the hunting pressure inside the national park; the collection of geckoes, snakes, frogs...." Some restaurants in town offer wild animal meat from macaques, civets, birds, and other animals.

Tour operators must tread lightly on the lands used by wildlife and international visitors. It's important to be respectful when watching wildlife and not interfere in their natural way of life. Heed the motto: "Take only photographs; leave only footprints."

Perhaps 2002 is the year for you to visit Kenya's elephants, Costa Rica's black howler monkeys, or any of the other amazing wild animals and places around the globe.