Use our toolkit to be an animal-friendly traveller

Seeing exotic animals when you're travelling can be an exciting experience. But please be cautious not to support attractions that exploit wild animals for tourist entertainment.

Our quick tips:

• DON’T take selfies with wild animals. DO take lots of photos of wildlife from a respectful distance.
• DON’T watch wild animals perform tricks. DO see humans perform tricks in animal-free circuses.
• DON’T ride an elephant. DO observe elephants at a sanctuary, on a web cam or in the wild.
• DON’T swim with dolphins. DO see dolphins in the wild with a responsible tour operator.
• DON’T hold wild animals. DO watch them behaving naturally in the wild or in a sanctuary.

How do you know if an attraction or activity can harm an animal?

World Animal Protection uses the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare as our test to see if an animal’s basic needs are being met:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst
2. Freedom from discomfort
3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease
4. Freedom to express normal behaviour
5. Freedom from fear and distress

Download our pocket travel guide