Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on May 31

Why take your safari in the same place as everybody else if you don’t have to?

Kenya, South Africa and Botswana get all the coverage with the big names for Safaris – but there is plenty to see in less visited countries – so don’t overlook places like Uganda and Rwanda too fast.

Not to name drop but you would be missing out on Bwindi Inpenetrable National Park and it’s mountain gorillas; both the Congo and the Nile rivers; the Great Rift Valley; and Lake Victoria.

When you are choosing an African adventure, make sure you give the less well known companies and countries their fair share of your attention and subsequently your funding. If we want to show countries that it is worth them keeping something – then we have to pay them in return.

And that is what your eco friendly travel plans should consider – what benefit does your vacation have on the people you spend it with – and those people you don’t spend it with?

So, here is a little bit of information on these 2 countries to show that there is plenty of Africa to see without sitting in a coach filled with 30 other tourists all looking at the same sleeping lion or baby elephant!

Uganda:
Home to an estimated 50% of the World’s mountain gorillas as well as chimpanzees, 120 species of mammals, 250+ species of butterflies and 360 species of birds in the Bwindi alone – making this site one of the richest and most diverse wildlife site in East Africa (beating Kenya hands down!).

photo credit: Kabacchi

It also has over 200 species of tree, 100+ ferns and 86 species of orchid! A plant lovers dream location too then!

In total there are 9 National Parks in Uganda – so you won’t be short of a wildlife adventure or two for your efforts.

There are a variety of habitats including wetlands, marshes, mountains and cloud forests to explore as well as 40 different languages to discover amongst the 4 main areas of the country.

And due to its high altitude and rings of mountains it is cooler than other countries on the equator – as well as being less prone to tropical diseases than many of it’s neighbours – always a bonus for the traveller!

Rwanda:
After being in the news for everything but it’s wildlife and culture – why not take a look at the eco adventures on offer in this less visited country. After all, gorilla safaris are this countries leading tourist attraction!

There are habitats here ranging from active volcanos in the Virunga mountains, through rolling hills, savannah, plains and swamps as well as all the lakes that fill this part of the Great Rift Valley.

There are only 3 National Parks here – but you won’t be disappointed with the wildlife: gorillas, giraffes, forest elephants, 14 species of primate and over 700 species of bird.

The people of Rwanda all belong to one ethnic group and so share a common history and culture, including dance, music and story-telling – as well as shared and local arts and crafts.

Eco Adventures:
These 2 countries border each other (as well as Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo) so you could easily travel between them all on an overland tour – either with an organised group or independently depending on your needs (overland tour buses don’t usually have toilets!).

So when you are planning your Safari Holidays - don’t look to the same old same old – think of something new and you might just have the best safari ever!

Following your heart – not the tour bus rules……

posted by Catherine on May 27

Well, some big names in conservation are getting together to promote it – so why is it so good?

It has always been assumed that catching fish ‘for fun’ was not in the Top 10 most animal friendly hobbies – infact some would say it is a ‘cruel sport’ and can lead to habitat damage.

But then, most of the best animal trackers and conservationists around the world today were once hunters – so maybe there is something in it.

What’s The Key?
Well, it would seem that although many people are aware of the ‘great outdoors’ and that it needs our help to be maintained and improved (or saved) – but it is really only those people actively dependant on that environment for their pleasure - ie hunters and anglers that actually make a difference.  The same could be true for active nature lovers, photographers scientists.

These are the type of people that will do all they can to protect and improve an environment.  A regular visitor to a certain river or woodland will, over time, be able to spot changes that others might not see straight away – and our waterways are seriously under threat.

So what better way than to encourage those young people who love fishing to stand (or sit) for hours beside rivers and streams and see what is happening to them.  Not many footpaths follow streams and major rivers – and even then most people just walk on by.

An angler on the other hand will get there at the crack of dawn, set up shop, and stay there most of the day.  The wildlife they see will be amazing and the peace an quiet will be worth getting up early for.

And, if the fish stop coming or there is obviously something wrong with the water – they will want to get to the bottom of it!  After all, they can’t be fishermen if there are no fish! 

There’s More:
Of course, you don’t have to waste the fish you catch either – you can either return them to the water (after a photo if you have to) or you can eat them – well, that really would be local food!

Obviously there could be issues with regards to endangered species along the way, but by monitoring and identifying the fish you catch, you can help conservation charities and organisations to monitor river health and other local wildlife.

Signs of otters and minks would be most gratefully received by the RSPB, PTeS or WWT, rare wetland birds could be reported to BTO, and pollution or fish deaths to the local council.

And obviously, if could be a great day out for just 1 or 2 people, like father and daughter, 2 friends, or grandad and grandson.

Peaceful day, great scenery, great conversations – and if you are lucky – a fish or two for supper!

posted by Catherine on Apr 24

Should we visit somewhere degraded but in desperate need of tourist dollars – or leave it to recover?

I was talking with a friend about the need to show (financial) support for locations that are in danger of being destroyed by construction or farming, etc – and that the best way to show that an area is worth money as it is, would be to take a vacation there and spend money on local services.

But then I thought, if the location is very fragile or in an area that is highly volitile - would it be better to stay away and let it recover before demanding tours and accomodation to be found (or built)?

Add to this as well, the fact that if you choose not to visit one of your favourite destinations or to see an endangered animal – it might have been your last chance before it is lost forever.

What I Want:

I myself am torn between visiting certain locations around the world as I am worried that my trip there and intrusion in the area could actually be supporting the very things that are destroying it.  But if I don’t go, I will have missed my chance to see something truly wonderful. 

Whether it is to experience the march of thousands of penguins in the frozen landscapes of Antartica, to marvel at the giant tortoises and marine iguanas in the Galapagos or the chance to see thousands of bats at dusk flying from a cave in Borneo – the very act of my ‘eco’ trip could put stresses on the wildlife or habitat itself by changing their behaviour. 

It could also help sustain or even create a market for hoards of others to follow afterwards or even affect the culture of the people who have lived there for centuries.

However, my needs I suppose are only for my own pleasure, unlike the people and the wildlife involved.  Just because ‘I want’ to do something, should I do it – even if the trip is ‘eco friendly’ and ‘responsible’?

The Alternatives?

If I decide not to go myself – how else could I help?  Well, finding a charity or NGO which was working in the area would be a great start, then donating money or time to them will be of endless help.

Don’t forget you don’t need to offer them directly for that specific location or creature, as all their time and funds are intricately linked.  So offering your spare time to them in your local town will ultimately help them spend money to work in the area you are rooting for abroad!  I mean if they are able to spend less money in 1 country, they can spend more in another.

And by creating other demands at home you can affect change.  Examples include the more obvious ones like choosing not to buy certain products, or products made in certain countries, or by subscribing to eco magazines.  Investing in certain energy suppliers or financial companies is another powerful way of showing businesses where you want to spend money and where you don’t.

Even creating a demand for cuddly toys might change future plans for charities and larger companies.  How?  Well, if more and more people start buying toys and products linked to rainforests for example, then it will be picked up as a national trend and things will eventually happen.

Take for example, the current demand for eco friendly cars.  They wouldn’t be making them if nobody was buying them would they?  If people were not so interested in the environment these days – the cars just wouldn’t sell – and as result, they wouldn’t make any more. 

Imagine if in the 60′s before we knew what ‘climate change’ was, they started making hybrid cars that cost more than ‘normal’ cars – would you buy one?  Do you think there would have been a successful business in the 40′s selling carbon credits?  What if someone today set up a charity to help save seagulls or raccoons – would you donate money to them?

Everything you do today, has a huge effect for tomorrow – so don’t rush into anything to quickly.

posted by Catherine on Apr 9

Would You Buy A Tiger Cub?

The trade in live animals and animal parts is one of the most active in the world – and only people like you can stop it by refusing to buy any animal parts or any live animals – and by reporting anything you see that is suspicious to the WWF

Live Animals:
Even if it is legal to import live animals into your home country – why would you do so?

They will no doubt be live caught (with parents and siblings often killed to collect them) and will have been badly handled and possibly smuggled in tiny spaces to you or your seller. The rates of survival on these journeys are very low, so for every animal that arrives, huge numbers could have died along the way.

As the animal is not endemic to your country, it may well need imported foods or specific diets and nutrients that you may be unaware of, equipment to maintain the correct humidity and temperature (which you might not even know yourself) and no doubt any illness or disease it has already got or may pick up from your end may not be treatable by a local vet as they have no experience or the veterinary equipment and medications to treat it.

And most obviously, if you brought one, then someone else might want one therefore creating or increasing the numbers caught and traded. You are perpetuating the cycle of death and destruction of species and habitat.

Stuffed Animals:
For the same reason – be wary of buying stuffed animals that are endangered species.

We all know that the rarer something becomes – the more it is worth, so by buying even a really old stuffed animal that has since become endangered you are letting that vendor know that there is a demand for whatever it was. It may well encourage him to find someone to supply him with another one……

Traditional Medicines:
There is no scientific proof that traditional medicines are effective against disease or can increase your fertility. It’s like your bank manager telling you how to make loads of money with shares and investments – when if he knew how to make loads of money – why is he still working in a bank rather than in a big mansion on a desert island?

However, most traditional medicines are made with animal parts – and many of these animals – like tigers – are endangered. There is no need for you to try any of these treatments as you are very likely encouraging illegal poaching and trapping.

And as with most ‘natural’ remedies that sound to good to be true – they probably are. Surely if there really was a part of an animal that really did prevent disease almost 100% of the time – do you not think that medicine would be available worldwide rather than in some tiny backstreet store outside of town??

Any Unidentified Animal Parts:
If you really want to do everything you can to avoid encouraging illegal wildlife poaching, then avoid buying anything made of or by any animal.

Just as the sale of leather from cows is a by-product of the beef and dairy industry, so the sale of teeth, bones and fur, feathers and quills can be the by-products of other trades.

It is a minefield out there, so you need to be quite broad with your shopping choices no matter how pretty or ‘amazing’ that souvenir is – because it would look a lot better if it was still alive!

And remember no matter how bad the trade is – if you buy it – they will make more. Just look at McDonalds!!!

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posted by Catherine on Apr 5

We continue on with more ‘not to buy’ souvenirs below – including endangered sealife and caviar.

Tortoiseshell Products:
Now, even I didn’t know that this ‘name’ was actually representing turtle shells!  I just used to think it was the name of the ‘print’ or ‘design’, but real tortoiseshell products are generally derived from marine turtle shells – mainly the Hawksbill turtle: critically endangered since 1973!

It was mainly found as accessories like sunglasses and hair clips, which were very common in tourist resorts, hotels and airports.  A man-made alternative was developed – but still buy with care – or not at all!  Unfortunately, unless they are clearly made of plastic such products should be avoided to be sure they are not affecting wild populations of turtles.

Seahorses:
These can be brought dried or alive – but obviously neither is recommended! 

Import and export of all seahorses is controlled by CITES under Appendix II, although Indonesis, Japan, Norway and South Korea have opted out of these trade rules!

Captive-bred seahorses are now becoming popular as wild caught specimens usually don’t live very long once captured.  This obviously lowers the threats to wild populations, but should be thoroughly checked before purchase to make sure of their true origins.

Corals:
The colors and shapes of corals have attracted buyers for years, although obviously has been taking it’s toll on marine environments.

Corals are very slow-growing and damage to a reef can take decades to recover – that is why diving guidelines have been changing to help prevent further damage.

Islands like the Maldives have ‘coral sand’ which is made up of dead and eroded coral and sometimes contains large chunks or material – however this coral is what makes the beach!  If coral offshore is destroyed for sale and large pieces of dead coral are collected from the beaches – there will be nothing left to protect the islands from eroding away!

Coral reefs are extremely diverse marine ecosystems – home to a whole host of exotic marine fish that can suvive nowhere else – so destrying their home will be destroying their chances of survival.

Seashells:
Mainly for the same reason as above – the discarded sea shells make up the beaches in most tropical destinations, helping to create the ‘sandy’ beaches and protect the land.

Depending on the shell type it is also possible that the live creature was captured and killed to alow the shell to be cleaned and polished for tourists to buy – not a good thing!

Also, many shells are used as homes for hermit crabs, and the more shells we take of of beaches, means that competition for new homes becomes fierce and ‘homeless’ crabs will be unprotected and likely prey.

Caviar:
A more unusual problem as it is not to everyones taste, but never-the-less sturgeon populations are in dramatic decline due to over-fishing and illegal fishing activities.

Since 1995, one species of sturgeon in Europe has been reduced by 40%, and around 12 tonnes of illegal caviar were seized in the European Union alone.  Governing bodies are working with CITES to create a labelling system to identify legal caviar.

Things aren’t always so easy to identify, so just think twice about your purchase.

Join us for Part 3 next – which covers live animals and animal parts…..

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