A Biologist’s View: How to Tell If an Animal Encounter Is Ethical

Red Flags to Watch Out For

• Touching or Riding Animals: This is one of the most obvious signs that something’s off. Elephant rides, camel rides, or photo ops with tigers and lions (who are often sedated), they’re all red flags. Even if the animals seem calm, their welfare is often compromised behind the scenes.

• Unnatural Behaviour or Feeding: If an animal is out when it shouldn’t be, or if food is being used to lure it in, chances are something’s not right. I’ve seen this in the Maldives, where tour boats shine strong lights into the ocean at night to attract plankton, which then draws in whale sharks. But whale sharks aren’t nocturnal, this kind of disturbance messes with their natural rhythms.

  In Cape Verde, I saw lemon sharks being lured with bait so tourists could get a better look. Some guides even encouraged the sharks to jump out of the water. Our team refused to do that, but sadly, many tourists still booked tours without realising the consequences. It might seem harmless, but repeatedly feeding and luring wild animals changes their behaviour and can make them dependent, or even aggressive.

• Nocturnal Animals Out in Full Sun: This one especially bugs me. On TikTok (and in real life), I’ve seen people posing with sloths or kinkajous or owls, animals that are supposed to be asleep during the day, paraded around by locals looking to make a quick buck. In Cape Verde, I used to see people walking around with monkeys for tourist photos. I made it a point to gently explain why that’s not okay. Most people just didn’t know better.

• Crowding and Noise Stress: Mass tourism can be incredibly stressful for wildlife. When 50 people jump into the water to swim with a whale shark, where’s the animal supposed to go? Overcrowding makes encounters less natural and more intrusive.

• Lack of Regulation or Transparency: If a company won’t explain its practices, or if there’s no information at all, that’s a red flag. I’ve had firsthand experience with a turtle conservation organisation that lacked proper oversight. No monitoring, no reporting, no clear protocols. Transparency matters.

Green Flags: Signs of a Responsible Operation

Not all wildlife tourism is bad. There are ways to enjoy and support nature ethically. Look for these signs:

• Small group sizes: less stress for the animals and a better experience for you.
• Observation-only:  no touching, feeding, or riding. Just watch and appreciate.
• Trained local guides: those who understand the species and conservation issues.
• No feeding or luring: especially in marine environments.
• Support for local communities: your money should help the people who live there.
• Educational aspect: are they teaching you something or just letting you take selfies?

Questions You Can Ask Before Booking

Before you click “book now,” take a second to ask a few key questions:

• Do you feed or touch the animals?
• What’s your policy on keeping distance?
• How do you make sure the encounter doesn’t disturb the animals?
• Is this species active during the time you’re seeing it?
• Where does the money go?

If they can’t, or won’t, answer, that’s your answer.

Ethical Grey Areas: It’s Not Always Black and White

Not every place will check every single box. Some operations are still learning or doing their best within limitations. Ethical travel isn’t about being perfect, it’s about trying. Sometimes you’ll learn something the hard way and make a better choice next time. That’s okay. We’re all learning.

Final Thoughts: You Can Love Animals Without Hurting Them