Abstract
Watching animals in their natural habitat may seem harmless, but it can have serious consequences for the conservation status of wildlife. More than 1,400 species listed as Endangered and Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature are threatened by tourism. This can be a consequence of habitat destruction caused by tourism development or disturbance caused by tourists.
The golden-capped fruit bat, for example, is an endangered species that is endemic to the Philippines. One of the major threats it faces is disturbance at the roost site caused by tourists. Not only can this disturbance stress the animals, it can also lead to the abandonment of pups. Together with other threats, such as deforestation, this disturbance contributes to pushing this and other species towards extinction.
The golden-capped fruit bat, for example, is an endangered species that is endemic to the Philippines. One of the major threats it faces is disturbance at the roost site caused by tourists. Not only can this disturbance stress the animals, it can also lead to the abandonment of pups. Together with other threats, such as deforestation, this disturbance contributes to pushing this and other species towards extinction.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Specialist publication | The Conversation |
| Publisher | The Conversation UK |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Jul 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Francesca Mancini receives funding from Scottish Natural Heritage and Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland.Keywords
- Conservation
- Social media
- Tourism
- Wildlife
- Nature