Interacting with wildlife, mostly cubs, has always been a reality in some safari parks and reserves, especially in South Africa. Everyone likes to play or take pictures with a lion cub or elephant, for example. Parks offering the experience normally use the argument that they are orphaned animals or taken from the wild for some specific reason, and of course there are different situations, ranging from establishments with purely commercial interests to (serious) animal rehabilitation centers. However, there is a consensus among experts in various fields (biologists, psychologists, ecologists and sustainable tourism professionals) that interaction generates a number of undesirable effects. Primarily for animals, as simple contact with humans determines the irreversibility of return to wildlife, and can also lead to a number of diseases on both sides. For children, understanding a wild animal as a puppy, a cartoon or a pet goes against all guidelines of educators and wildlife experts. And there is also the safety issue: even cubs are wild animals with unpredictable behavior and can lead to a number of risky situations. There is currently a strong tendency in South Africa to restrict, including by law, any kind of interaction with wildlife. In 2015, the death of an American tourist, attacked in Lion Park by a lioness, reopened discussions on the subject. While ACT understands and respects the decision of customers who want to include interaction activities in their itineraries, our contrary position is explicit.
For more information: www.southafrica.net/gl/en/travel/article/say-no-to-animal-interaction