- 8 top wildlife conservation holidays<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Top 10 family wildlife holidays in the UK<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
- 15 of the best wildlife-watching destinations<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
- 5 best UK weekend wildlife destinations<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
When it comes to accommodation, we can prioritise lodges that directly fund conservation or benefit local communities. We can favour \u2018ecolodges\u2019 that minimise resource use, source locally and are built using recycled materials. We can then contract local tour companies who aim to \u2018travel for good\u2019, drawing on research by organisations such as Responsible Travel<\/a> and Terra Incognita.<\/p>\n
Bringing all these threads together, here are 10 ideas for beneficial wildlife-watching experiences across the globe, from blue sharks off the Cornish coast to hummingbirds<\/a> in the rainforests of Peru.<\/p>\n
10 destinations for ethical wildlife holidays<\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>A blue shark swimming off the Cornish coast \u00a9 Richard A Lock\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n 1 Marine wildlife in Cornwall<\/h2>\n
Penzance Station is the end of the Great Western Railway line and is\u00a0adjacent to Mount\u2019s Bay, a superlative destination for marine wildlife. Hop onto a sailing catamaran operated by local company Marine Discovery<\/a> for a wind-powered excursion so silent that you\u2019ll be able to hear common dolphins whistle as they bowride. You may see ocean sunfish as well as grey seals<\/a>, harbour porpoises<\/a> and basking sharks<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Blue Shark Snorkel<\/a> offers a WiSe-accredited (wildlife-safe) underwater experience with the blue sharks now frequenting the coastal waters of south-west England (including Mount\u2019s Bay). Operations follow a strict code of conduct.<\/p>\n
On dry land, the Land\u2019s End peninsula offers ample wildlife interest \u2013 much of which can be reached through an impressive local bus network. Hike along the dramatic South West Coast Path to look for choughs<\/a>, and in late summer, take your telescope to Porthgwarra or Pendeen to see passing seabirds such as the storm petrel and great shearwater.<\/p>\n
Finally, jump on the local train to Hayle, checking the estuary for Mediterranean gulls and passage waders.<\/p>\n
2 Butterflies and orchids in The Cevennes<\/h2>\n
An overseas holiday need not mean flying \u2013 UK tour companies including Wildlife Travel offer European tours based on rail travel. So, minimise carbon emissions by taking the Eurostar and TGV through France to N\u00eemes. Then venture west into the C\u00e9vennes and Grands Causses \u2013 spectacular protected areas blessed with dramatic gorges, limestone plateaus and river valleys, where the montane greets the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n
Spring and early summer provide the most intense experiences. Meadows brimming with pheasant\u2019s-eye daffodils and yellow gentians complement rocky heathlands with several local rarities. The floral highlight, though, is the sheer diversity of orchids: seeing 30-plus types is eminently possible. There are even two orchids found nowhere else in the world \u2013 Aymonin\u2019s fly orchid and Aveyron orchid.<\/p>\n
Butterflies also abound, including the Piedmont ringlet, two-tailed pasha and nettle-tree butterflies, as do rock-loving birds. Look at ground level for the citril finch and rufous-tailed rock thrush, then up into the sky for all four European vultures<\/a>: Egyptian, cinereous, griffon and bearded. Vultures have benefitted from successful local reintroduction schemes, and you can learn all about them at the Maison des Vautours<\/em><\/a> (House of Vultures).<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Goshawk in Berlin \u00a9 Bertram Schemel\/EyeEm\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n 3 Goshawks in Berlin<\/h2>\n
Take the train to Berlin to meet the capital\u2019s star species: the goshawk<\/a> \u2013 a raptor that is scarce in the UK, but excitingly common in Berlin\u2019s parks and cemeteries, where 100 pairs now reside. Seeing these magnificent birds of prey sitting bold as brass in Tiergarten Park\u2019s pathside trees is a pretty memorable experience.<\/p>\n
Other parkland wildlife includes the hawfinch<\/a>, red squirrel<\/a>, wild boar<\/a> and striped field mouse. Northern raccoons emerge after dark, though the presence of this non-native carnivore is not universally appreciated by residents. Heading west by bus, look for moor frogs, sand lizards<\/a> and nesting common cranes<\/a> at Grunewald. To the south-east, the M\u00fcggelsee area holds breeding black terns, great reed warblers and red-breasted flycatchers. Even beavers have returned after a long absence: look for them around Tegeler See.<\/p>\n
Finally, hire a car and head 50 miles west to Havell\u00e4ndisches Luch, home to Europe\u2019s northernmost population of great bustards. Your visit celebrates the conservation action that has doubled this mighty bird\u2019s numbers in just \u2028two decades.<\/p>\n
4 Whale shark research in Mexico<\/h2>\n
There are many places worldwide where you can snorkel with whale sharks<\/a>, the largest fish in the sea. But by joining leading marine scientists on Responsible Travel<\/a>\u2019s week-long voyage near the Yucat\u00e1n Peninsula, you can be sure that your presence does not disturb this marine behemoth, which gathers here in aggregations of up to 200 individuals. The cost of your holiday funds research that you help to carry out, examining photo-ID catalogues, recording behaviour and observing which marine species use sharks as mobile habitats.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s not just sharks \u2013 you\u2019ll likely encounter manta rays<\/a><\/strong>, bottlenose, spinner<\/a><\/strong> and Atlantic spotted dolphins, and green and loggerhead turtles.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Point Reyes, California \u00a9 Janet Kopper\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n 5 Birding at Point Reyes, California<\/h2>\n
Migration<\/a><\/strong> offers thrilling birdwatching. In spring and autumn, many species are on the move, turning certain locations across the globe into veritable avian airports. One hotspot is Point Reyes National Seashore, an expanse of protected coastline in California.<\/p>\n
In April, why not attend the Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival? Raising funds for local conservation, the event coincides with the northwards passage. Explore Bear Valley for various flycatchers, vireos, sparrows and warblers and keep an eye on the sky for raptors such as the red-shouldered hawk and northern harrier. Out to sea, sightings may include the pigeon guillemot, surf scoter and Brandt\u2019s cormorant.<\/p>\n
Point Reyes hosts marine mammals, too: Californian sealions feed offshore, young northern elephant seals recline on beaches and grey whales mooch past.<\/p>\n
6 Rainforest birding in Peru<\/h2>\n
South America boasts a bulging portfolio of lodges that support nature conservation, with offerings across Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Choosing such accommodation ensures that your tourist dollars go towards protecting threatened habitats.<\/p>\n
Peru is a great place to start. Stay at the Huembo and Owlet Andean rainforest lodges and you\u2019ll be funding reserves managed by conservation charity ECOAN (The Association of Andean Ecosystems), which reinvests tourism profits in conservation projects. The star attraction around Huembo is the marvellous spatuletail, a hummingbird with an extraordinary appendage. An ecological easement (an agreement between landowners) protects the forest in this area, with profits shared between communities.<\/p>\n
An hour away, a visit to Owlet Lodge places you deep within the 10,000ha rainforest reserve of Abra Patricia, home to the royal sunangel \u2013 a hummingbird as sumptuous as its name suggests \u2013 and the once-mythical long-whiskered owlet.<\/p>\n
Finally, head southwest into Peru\u2019s arid lowlands. Check in to the Chaparr\u00ed Ecolodge and explore the threatened Tumbesian dry forests. Here, you can admire\u00a0myriad hummingbirds bathing in a stream beside the dining room and observe Andean (or spectacled) bears feeding. Then, relax inside hides overlooking a waterhole frequented by Peruvian white-tailed deer and a feeding station attended by Andean condors.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Monteverde, Costa Rica \u00a9 miroslav_1\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n 7 Cloud forests in Costa Rica<\/h2>\n
Costa Rica<\/a> has long been a leader in global ecotourism. During the 1970s, this Central American nation suffered one of the world\u2019s highest deforestation rates, yet thanks to a series of pro-environment policies, forests now cover more than 60 per cent of its land, with more than a quarter of the country protected through reserves.<\/p>\n
A key destination is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, where you can embark on a quest to see the resplendent quetzal and venture along canopy walkways to spot toucanets and tanagers at eye level. Gaudy butterflies such as the malachite abound, and you can also volunteer your time helping Earthwatch scientists.<\/p>\n
8 Volunteering in The Seychelles<\/h2>\n
Nestling in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles is renowned as an island paradise, but choose to base yourself on Curieuse Island and you can give back to nature while enjoying the white sands and turquoise waters.<\/p>\n
Barely the size of Tresco, Isles of Scilly, Curieuse lies only a short boat ride from the main tourist island of Praslin. There are neither roads nor shops, enabling you to enjoy a recuperative break from the rigours and business of daily life.<\/p>\n
Not that you will be lounging around, of course. You are here to volunteer your time and experience to the Seychelles National Parks Authority, while staying at a beachfront research station operated by voluntourism company Global Vision International (GVI). GVI commits to operating only locally driven, collaborative projects whose objectives are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.<\/p>\n
Trips last between one and 12 weeks. Depending on when you visit, your contribution will likely involve studying nesting success in green or hawksbill turtles, helping turtle hatchlings to reach the sea, assisting with a \u2018catch-and-release\u2019 study of baby sicklefin lemon sharks, recording the rate of coastal erosion or censusing Aldabra giant tortoises.<\/p>\n
A day at the office complete, you can relax by snorkelling in the company of eagle rays and reef sharks, by hiking uphill to admire the coco de mer<\/a> palm trees that grow only here and on Praslin, or by looking for birds such as the white tern or endemic Seychelles blue pigeon.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Elephants in Samburu \u00a9 philou1000\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n 9 Safari in Samburu, Kenya<\/h2>\n
With East Africa safaris becoming ever busier, there is now increasing competition among safari lodges and conservancies to demonstrate their environmental, socio-economic and cultural credentials. Where you stay matters.<\/p>\n
The luxury tented camp at Sasaab lies in a private wildlife conservancy near Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya. It\u2019s run in partnership with the 10,000-strong Samburu community, ensuring that locals benefit directly from wildlife tourism. Three-quarters of staff hail from Samburu villages and a foundation offers further support. Visitor fees also go towards the Grevy\u2019s Zebra Trust<\/a>, which seeks to conserve an endangered equiid whose population has slumped by 80 per cent in 50 years.<\/p>\n
This all makes staying here worthwhile, even without Samburu\u2019s excellent wildlife. Over and above the safari staples such as African elephants<\/a>, giraffes<\/a>, lions and cheetahs<\/a>, game drives offer opportunities to see Kenyan specialities such as gerenuk, beisa oryx and the Somali ostrich.<\/p>\n
10 Campout in Cambodia<\/h2>\n
With the tagline, \u2018Your stay keeps the forest standing\u2019, the Cardomom Tented Camp in Cambodia\u2019s Botum Sakor National Park helps to keep 180km2 of forest safely out of the hands of loggers, poachers and sand-dredging operations. Located in the Cardomom Mountains, the camp\u2019s revenues support the conservation efforts of the charity Wildlife Alliance, with additional profits invested locally.<\/p>\n
The camp has an impressive approach to minimising its environmental impacts, from generating solar power to recycling and grey-water management. Meals include a portion of \u2018Ibis Rice\u2019, whose producers receive a premium for conserving habitat for the critically endangered giant ibis.<\/p>\n
For wildlife adventures, you can join guided walks through Botum Sakor\u2019s rainforests and grasslands, or boat along the Preak Tachan River to spot species such as the pileated gibbon and giant black and Cambodian striped squirrels. Around the camp, birders can look for evocative Asian species such as the oriental pied hornbill, black-and-red broadbill and perhaps even the globally threatened green peafowl. Guests may also assist rangers by checking camera traps to reveal evidence of reclusive mammals such as the red spiny rat.<\/p>\n
Main image: Monteverde, Costa Rica \u00a9\u00a0miroslav_1\/GettyGetty<\/em><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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- Top 10 family wildlife holidays in the UK<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
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