What comes to mind when you think of animal tourism? Zoos? Horseback rides in the mountains? African safaris? Whale watching tours? Certainly all these things are important and popular animal tourism activities…but animals fill a lot more roles in the tourism industry than most people think…and each role comes with its own unique welfare considerations.
There’s not much cuter than a lion or tiger cub! Unfortunately, a lot of tourist experiences take advantage of this vulnerable stage of development and offer cub petting or photo experiences. Even worse, unsuspecting tourists are actually often participating in larger breeding and hunting schemes without their knowledge. Read on to learn the truth about cub petting!