Promoting animal welfare
Like architecture, food, and language, wildlife plays a big role in what makes a place unique. (Imagine—what would the Galápagos be like without “dancing” blue-footed boobies? Or Alaska, without regal bald eagles and grizzlies?) Animals are also essential to the life cycle of the ecosystems they inhabit. But too often they’re exploited, forced to live in inhumane conditions at tourist spots around the world, and objectified rather than respected. Here’s how we prioritize animal welfare on our tours.
Connecting with animal welfare agencies
We look to best practices from leading animal protection organizations to help us implement animal welfare guidelines into all of our itineraries. This helps us make sure that none of our on-tour activities are exploitative to animals, and allow us to identify opportunities to share vital insights with our travelers.
Photo: Discuss anti-poaching efforts with an expert from the African Wildlife Foundation on our Tanzania Wildlife Safari tour.
Spreading awareness
By visiting rescue agencies, conservancy groups, and animal sanctuaries on tour, we help fund organizations that are effecting positive change for animals. Spending time in these places, and with the experts who run them, allows us to learn about vulnerable animal populations and what we all can do to help them, too.
Photo: Visit Chimp Eden, the Jane Goodall Institute South Africa Chimpanzee Sanctuary on our South Africa: Cultural Cities & Wildlife Safaris tour.
Observing with respect
Whether we’re out on safari in Africa or hiking through national parks in the U.S., Canada, or Croatia, we’re there to quietly watch—never disrupt—animals in their natural habitats. And when it’s time to move on to our next stop, we leave animals’ home environments exactly as (if not better than) we found them.
Photo: Set out for low-impact observation of nature and wildlife on our Costa Rica: Rainforests, Volcanoes & Wildlife tour.
Our impact site
At EF, everything we do ripples outwards, transforming people, communities, and ultimately, the planet. Our impact defines who we are as a company and how we contribute to a better world; one tour, one initiative, one story at a time.
