Transmission of diseases from human beings to wildlife and vice versa is also a major problem associated with the close contacts between tourists and wildlife (Holmes, 1996). For instance, primates (e.g. gorillas) are prone to certain diseases, epidemics and respiratory illnesses. In a study of the lives of the gorillas, six of the habituated female gorillas in Africa died in 1988 because of human-transmitted respiratory illnesses.
Among the non-habituated gorillas that fled from tourists, diarrhea was found to be a common symptom of stress. There is also concern over the transmission of a potentially pathogenic virus (alpha-herpes) from gorillas to humans (Butynski & Kalina, 1998). Monkeys (long-tailed macaques and chimpanzees) are known to be susceptible to and as carriers of certain deadly viruses affect human beings.
Many tourists show high recreational satisfaction when there are opportunities to touch or closely interact with wildlife. Sadly, attacks on tourists have occurred in some situations when the tourists under-estimated the potential danger of the wild species, even though they are already habituated towards human beings. Attacks on human beings usually occur during the nursing season when the parental instinct to protect their young ones is at its highest.
Likewise, highly territorial species may attack or chase away tourists that intrude into their defended territories especially during the breeding period. Unfortunately, the government's reaction to such attacks is always to the detriment of certain wildlife species. The ability of the tour guides and tourists to respond to alarm vocalization made by stressed wildlife species should serve as the signal of the limits of certain wildlife recreational pursuits. Other management measures to minimize adverse wildlife-tourist encounters should also be put in place.
The hotels in Kumarakom do offer better insight into the exotic plant and animal life of the forests adjacent to these hotels. Often they undertake such trips only after ensuring that proper safeguards have been put in place. A visitor must merge with the natural surroundings and keep his belongings to the barest minimum when undertaking such eco-trips.
Among the non-habituated gorillas that fled from tourists, diarrhea was found to be a common symptom of stress. There is also concern over the transmission of a potentially pathogenic virus (alpha-herpes) from gorillas to humans (Butynski & Kalina, 1998). Monkeys (long-tailed macaques and chimpanzees) are known to be susceptible to and as carriers of certain deadly viruses affect human beings.
Many tourists show high recreational satisfaction when there are opportunities to touch or closely interact with wildlife. Sadly, attacks on tourists have occurred in some situations when the tourists under-estimated the potential danger of the wild species, even though they are already habituated towards human beings. Attacks on human beings usually occur during the nursing season when the parental instinct to protect their young ones is at its highest.
Likewise, highly territorial species may attack or chase away tourists that intrude into their defended territories especially during the breeding period. Unfortunately, the government's reaction to such attacks is always to the detriment of certain wildlife species. The ability of the tour guides and tourists to respond to alarm vocalization made by stressed wildlife species should serve as the signal of the limits of certain wildlife recreational pursuits. Other management measures to minimize adverse wildlife-tourist encounters should also be put in place.
The hotels in Kumarakom do offer better insight into the exotic plant and animal life of the forests adjacent to these hotels. Often they undertake such trips only after ensuring that proper safeguards have been put in place. A visitor must merge with the natural surroundings and keep his belongings to the barest minimum when undertaking such eco-trips.