Tourists have been warned about the hidden horrors of dealing with animals in popular countries

Rob Perkins, an environmental travel expert, warned about the potential risks and hidden horror of communicating with animals during a vacation. On March 3, World Wildlife Day, he shared tips on how to avoid harm to animals while traveling.

According to him, which were published by the British Mirror portal, tourists can cause irreparable harm to animals, despite all their efforts to avoid it, the wildlife expert warned. “If ten years ago it was not unusual for travelers who recently returned on vacation to upload a photo of themselves hugging a tiger, now most people realize the hidden harm behind such a photo,” he noted.

For example, Perkins noted that some popular leisure activities, such as elephant riding or orca shows, can lead to animal abuse and suffering. He argued that elephant riding harms the backs of animals, and swimming with elephants can be dangerous and problematic, as elephants used for these purposes often live in conditions of strict control.

In addition, the animal rights activist drew attention to the fact that dolphins and whales can only be communicated with in the wild and subject to certain safety rules. “It is truly ethical to communicate with dolphins and whales only in the wild, but never in captivity… They may seem friendly, but they are still wild animals. Special attention should be paid to the safety of swimmers and dolphins. They should never be approached when they are feeding or resting, and the boat’s engine should be turned off,” he added.

As for selfies with lions, this also hides a serious threat. Such animals come to tourists after cats are drugged so that they do not attack people. “When they get used to people, they cannot be returned to the wild. In fact, they are bred for slaughter. Sometimes, when they get older and they can no longer be petted, hunters release them into a fenced area, and then shoot them for their skins,” the specialist noted.

Perkins did not ignore the popular Russian fun – dog sledding. As the expert noted, there is nothing terrible about skating itself, but it is important to make sure that the dogs are kept in good conditions. In addition, he pointed out the need to be careful when observing the birth of turtles, so as not to interfere with them remembering their place of birth and not distract them from the path to the sea.

For those who value a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: “Just one can of Coca-Cola a day increases the risk of a fatal disease.”