“Animals, Not Entertainers”
Wild animals don’t exist to perform for us, pose with us, carry us, or provide us with a memorable vacation photograph.
They are sentient beings capable of experiencing fear, pain, stress—and positive emotions and experiences as well.
World Animal Protection has created an excellent resource examining the use of animals in entertainment and tourism, including wildlife selfies, animal shows, elephant rides and other activities that can place an animal’s welfare behind the visitor’s experience.
Their message is remarkably simple:
Animals are not entertainers.
For those of us who care about wildlife, perhaps one of the most important questions we can ask before participating in an animal experience is:
Is this experience designed around what is best for the animal—or around what people want the animal to do?
Wildlife tourism can inspire respect for animals and the natural world. But experiencing wildlife doesn’t require touching it, holding it, riding it, posing beside it or asking it to perform.
Sometimes the most respectful wildlife encounter is the one in which we change our behavior instead of asking the animal to change theirs.
We encourage you to explore this excellent resource from World Animal Protection New Zealand:
World Animal Protection "Animals, Not Entertainment" Resource Guide
Evidence • Education • Accountability
