tag:theconversation.com,2011:/es/topics/safari-trips-23809/articlesSafari trips – The Conversation2019-07-22T15:08:45Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1180852019-07-22T15:08:45Z2019-07-22T15:08:45ZHere’s how your holiday photos could help save endangered species<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285095/original/file-20190722-11318-1w49uxn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5000%2C3338&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-man-traveler-photographer-taking-photo-1076212052?src=9kBYtVMzOnat4SJUmPegPw-1-14&studio=1">Zephyr_p/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Animal populations have declined on average by <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/11/animal-decline-living-planet-report-conservation-news/">60% since 1970</a>, and it’s predicted that around <a href="https://theconversation.com/revolutionary-change-needed-to-stop-unprecedented-global-extinction-crisis-116166">a million species are at risk of extinction</a>. As more of the Earth’s biodiversity disappears and the human population grows, protected landscapes that are set aside to conserve biodiversity are increasingly important. Sadly, many are underfunded – some of Africa’s most treasured wildlife reserves operate in <a href="https://www.leonardodicaprio.org/more-than-usd1-billion-per-year-needed-to-secure-africas-protected-areas-with-lions/">funding deficits of hundreds of millions of dollars</a>.</p>
<p>In unfenced wilderness, scientists rarely have an inventory on the exact numbers of species in an area at a particular time. Instead they make inferences using one of many different survey approaches, including camera traps, track surveys, and drones. These methods can estimate how much and what kind of wildlife is present, but often require large amounts of effort, time and money.</p>
<p>Camera traps are placed in remote locations and activated by movement. They can collect vast quantities of data by taking photographs and videos of passing animals. But this can cost tens of thousands of dollars to run and once in the wild, cameras are at the mercy of curious wildlife. </p>
<p>Track surveys rely on specialist trackers, who aren’t always available and drones, while promising, have restricted access to many tourism areas in Africa. All of this makes wildlife monitoring difficult to carry out and repeat over large areas. Without knowing what’s out there, making conservation decisions based on evidence becomes almost impossible. </p>
<h2>Citizen science on Safari</h2>
<p>Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world – <a href="https://www.atta.travel/news/2019/04/an-analysis-of-africas-tourism-market-for-april-2019/">42m people visited</a> sub-Saharan Africa in 2018 alone. Many come for the unique wildlife and unknowingly collect valuable conservation data with their phones and cameras. Photographs on social media are already being used to help <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/uae/chimp-facial-recognition-technology-to-target-wildlife-traffickers-1.832456">track the illegal wildlife trade</a> and how often <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-social-media-can-help-sustainable-nature-tourism-100112">areas of wilderness are visited by tourists</a>.</p>
<p>Despite this, tourists and their guides are still an overlooked source of information. Could your holidays snaps help monitor endangered wildlife? <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)30626-8">In a recent study</a>, we tested exactly this. </p>
<p>Partnering with a tour operator in Botswana, we approached all guests passing through a safari lodge over three months in the Okavango Delta and asked them if they were interested in contributing their photographs to help with conservation. We provided those interested with a small GPS logger – the type commonly used for tracking pet cats – so that we could see where the images were being taken. </p>
<p>We then collected, processed, and passed the images through computer models to estimate the densities of five large African carnivore species – lions, spotted hyaenas, leopards, African wild dogs and cheetahs. We compared these densities to those from three of the most popular carnivore survey approaches in Africa – camera trapping, track surveys, and call-in stations, which play sounds through a loudspeaker to attract wildlife so they can be counted.</p>
<p>The tourist photographs provided similar estimates to the other approaches and were, in total, cheaper to collect and process. Relying on tourists to help survey wildlife saved up to US$840 per survey season. Even better, it was the only method to detect cheetahs in the area – though so few were sighted that their total density couldn’t be confirmed.</p>
<p>Thousands of wildlife photographs are taken every day, and the study showed that we can use statistical models to cut through the noise and get valuable data for conservation. Still, relying on researchers to visit tourist groups and coordinate their photograph collection would be difficult to replicate across many areas. Luckily, that’s where wildlife tour operators could come in.</p>
<p>Tour operators could help collect tourist images to share with researchers. If the efforts of tourists were paired with AI that could process millions of images quickly, conservationists could have a simple and low-cost method for monitoring wildlife.</p>
<p>Tourist photographs are best suited for monitoring large species that live in areas often visited by tourists – species that tend to have high economic and ecological value. While this method perhaps isn’t as well suited to smaller species, it can still indirectly support their conservation by helping protect the landscapes they live in. </p>
<p>The line between true wilderness and landscapes modified by humans is becoming increasingly blurred, and more people are visiting wildlife in their natural habitats. This isn’t always a good thing, but maybe conservationists can use these travels to their advantage and help conserve some of the most iconic species on our planet.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/118085/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This research was supported by The Alice McCosh Trust, Idea Wild The Scottish International Education Trust, The Wilderness Wildlife Trust, The Explorers Club, Columbus Zoo, National Geographic Society (W359-14), and Liverpool John Moores University. </span></em></p>Thousands of wildlife photographs are taken every day – they could prove very valuable for conservation.Kasim Rafiq, Postdoctoral Researcher in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Liverpool John Moores UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/525032016-01-12T04:29:08Z2016-01-12T04:29:08ZWhy millions chose Africa as their safari destination<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/107506/original/image-20160107-13986-14209ym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Africa is the go-to destination for tourists seeking animal safari trips.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>More than <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/Africa/Report/africa-tourism-report-2013-factsheet.pdf">30 million</a> tourists visit Africa every year. Over half of the international arrivals are for business purposes, and may partake in tourist activities as well, while 15% travel for pure tourism and 30% visit friends and family. </p>
<p>Tourists select the continent as a destination for wildlife viewing and to enjoy the sunny skies. Africa is the world’s number one destination for safaris which range from the exotic to the very simple. </p>
<p>The tourism industry is one of the most important for the continent: it provided 12.8 million people with jobs, directly and indirectly, in 2011. Tourism in 2012 contributed over US$36 billion or 2.8% of the continent’s <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/Africa/Report/africa-tourism-report-2013-factsheet.pdf">GDP</a>.</p>
<p>The continent’s vast and diverse nature makes it complex and difficult to decide on the best region for a safari. But the east, central and southern parts of the continent are by far the <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/Africa/Report/africa-tourism-report-2013-extracted-figures.pdf">preferred choices</a>. These areas generally have well developed or fast developing tourism sectors. There is an abundance of wildlife as well as low to no visa requirements. Tourists to these regions mostly come <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/Africa/Report/africa-tourism-report-2013-extracted-figures.pdf">from</a> countries like France, the UK, the USA, Germany and Portugal.</p>
<p>Below is a quick guide to some of the safari hot spots on the African continent.</p>
<h2>East Africa</h2>
<p>East African countries are strongly reliant on the tourism industry for generating income. Strong improvements in marketing and cooperation between these nations will help to ensure the success of this vital tourism <a href="http://www.eac.int/travel/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=114&Itemid=85">sector</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.eac.int/travel/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=113&Itemid=84">Standardised criteria</a> for hotels, restaurants and other services across these countries will make it easier for tourists to find suitable services. These countries possess various natural and cultural resources that make tourism possible.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.expertafrica.com/tanzania/info/serengeti-wildebeest-migration">Serengeti wildebeest migration</a> is the main reason Kenya and Tanzania have become popular safari destinations. This migration sees millions of wildebeest, accompanied by various other animal species, move between Tanzania and Kenya. The best places to view this migration include Kenya’s <a href="http://www.masaimara.com/">Masai Mara</a> and Tanzania’s <a href="http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/serengeti.html">Serengeti National Park.</a> .</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/107507/original/image-20160107-13983-64ru4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/107507/original/image-20160107-13983-64ru4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/107507/original/image-20160107-13983-64ru4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=305&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/107507/original/image-20160107-13983-64ru4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=305&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/107507/original/image-20160107-13983-64ru4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=305&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/107507/original/image-20160107-13983-64ru4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/107507/original/image-20160107-13983-64ru4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/107507/original/image-20160107-13983-64ru4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A wildebeest crosses a river during the Serengeti migration.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>And while in the area, don’t forget to visit Africa’s highest mountain - <a href="http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/kili.html">Mount Kilimanjaro</a> in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro National Park.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ngorongorocrater.org/">Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area</a> is also a great choice with an abundance of <a href="http://big5.southafrica.net/#intro-video">big 5</a> - the African elephant, African lion, white/black rhinoceros, African leopard and the Cape buffalo - and will not disappoint.</p>
<h2>Central Africa</h2>
<p>Civil wars and terrorist groups have made it dangerous to travel to some countries in this region. Many tourists still take their chances, though, as Central Africa is an area of immense natural beauty. </p>
<p>The Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda are great places to view the endangered <a href="http://www.animalfactguide.com/animal-facts/mountain-gorilla/">mountain gorillas</a>. The best places for viewing them include the <a href="https://virunga.org/">Virunga National Park</a> in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, <a href="http://www.ugandawildlife.org/explore-our-parks/parks-by-name-a-z/mgahinga-gorilla-national-park">Mgahinga Gorilla National Park</a> in south-west Uganda, or <a href="http://www.volcanoesnationalparkrwanda.com/">Volcanoes National Park</a> in north-west Rwanda.</p>
<p>Various factors have threatened the population of gorillas, including poaching, habitat loss, disease, war and unrest and poverty. Today, due to conservation efforts, the population of mountain gorillas is showing steady growth. The fact that many tourists want to get up close to these animals also drives conservation efforts, since with tourism comes economic improvement. </p>
<p>If you’d prefer to take part in Africa’s best on-foot chimpanzee encounters, visit <a href="http://www.kibaleforestnationalpark.com/">Kibale Forest</a> in Uganda.</p>
<h2>Southern Africa</h2>
<p>South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi offer very diverse wildlife. This is because of the variety of <a href="http://www.plantzafrica.com/frames/vegfram.htm">biomes</a> in the region.</p>
<p><a href="http://chobenationalpark.co.za/">Chobe National Park</a> is home to the biggest concentration of elephants in the world - 70 000 of them. It lies between the Chobe River and the Okavango Delta in the north eastern parts of Botswana. Also in Botswana, the <a href="http://www.botswanatourism.co.bw/destination/moremi-game-reserve">Moremi Game Reserve</a>, in the iconic Okovango Delta, is the first reserve in Africa to be established by local residents.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://etoshanationalpark.co.za/">Etosha National Park</a> in the northern arid region of Namibia offers great chances of spotting endangered black rhinoceros as well as flamingos in the salt pans.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.sanparks.co.za/parks/kruger/">Kruger National Park</a> in South Africa is in its own league because of its <a href="https://www.safaribookings.com/kruger/wildlife">diversity of animals</a> as well as advanced environmental management techniques and policies.</p>
<p><a href="http://isimangaliso.com/">iSimangaliso Wetland Park</a> was the first site in South Africa to be awarded World Heritage status. It contains most of South Africa’s remaining swamp forests and is Africa’s largest estuarine system, which is a partially enclosed body of water where fresh water from rivers and streams mix with salt water from the ocean. The park borders Kosi Bay and St Lucia Lake which is the only place in the world where you can find sharks, hippopotamus and crocodiles in the same body of water.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo/tourism/get_there.php">Addo Elephant National Park</a> in the Eastern Cape province is the only park where you can find the <a href="http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-southafrica.net-the-big-7">Big 7</a>: the African elephant, Cape buffalo, African lion, African leopard, African rhino as well as whales and Great White sharks.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.sanparks.co.za/parks/kgalagadi/">Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park</a> consists of mostly unspoiled wilderness in the north of South Africa, crossing over into Botswana. This park is largely located in a desert area and is famous for animal species such as the <a href="http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-southafrica.net-kalaharis-black-maned-lions">Kalahari black-maned lions</a> and the <a href="http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_gemsbok.html">Gemsbok or Oryx</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/52503/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marco Scholtz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Safaris are a major tourist attraction for those travelling to Africa - and visitors are spoiled for choice on the continent.Marco Scholtz, Senior Lecturer in tourism at Tourism Research in Economic Environs & Society(TREES), North-West UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.