Updated March 17, 2021

Occasionally in my travels, I’m forced to confront my attitudes towards animal welfare and tourism. Before a trip to Morocco, it had been relatively easy. I steered clear of zoos and avoided riding or handling any animal I perceived to be exploited for the benefit of tourists. In Morocco, the animals I encountered encouraged me to think more about ethical animal tourism and our responsibilities as travellers. 

Animal tourism in Marrakech

Marrakech challenged my thinking. The early decisions were easy, such as not hiring one of the calèches lined up on the outskirts of Jamaâ El Fna Square. Hitched to each calèche were two horses standing on pavement in 42-degree (Celsius) heat. Each was competing for the tiny patch of shade provided by the carriage in front.

Or avoiding the macaque monkeys with a chain around their necks, wearing dirty diapers to protect tourists as they clambered over people’s heads and shoulders. The camels tethered to concrete blocks on short ropes waiting in the hot sun for tourists seemed totally out of their element, so bypassing them also wasn’t difficult.

However, the snake charmers and their snakes were another story. This was the first time coming across the practice so I was curious, to say the least. The thing about Marrakech compared to most other places is that simply taking a photograph will cost you. Looking was free. My hostel roommate from Germany was caught surreptitiously snapping a picture.

Her required donation gave her access to more.

I must admit, I couldn’t bear to look at the monkeys shackled at the neck, and gave them a wide berth. I had the same reaction to the horses standing in the oppressive heat. They were plagued by scores of flies buzzing about their heads. It was saddening. The camels? They appeared to be well fed but I walked past them with a furtive glance and covert photograph.

But those snake charmers. There was something about them and their snakes that brought me back to Jamaâ El Fna Square time and time again. On a conscious level, I knew the hot pavement of the square wasn’t a suitable habitat for any species in the animal kingdom. But perhaps on another level, I placed snakes on a different rung on the hierarchy. My discomfort wasn’t as intense as what I felt for the horses, camels, and monkeys. However, I figured if I didn’t take any photographs, I wasn’t supporting the fact that as wild animals, they didn’t belong there, performing for tourists. Hypocritical? Yes. I was supporting their treatment by being a curious and engaged bystander.

Ethical animal tourism: our responsibilities as travellers

My discomfort at seeing the variety of ways people use animals to eke out a living in Marrakech challenged me to think more about animal welfare and tourism. It prompted questions for which I didn’t have answers. What’s appropriate? If a practice is rooted in tradition, is it acceptable for tourists to condemn it based on their own cultural values? If an animal appears to be healthy and treated well, should the operator be supported? If we suspect an animal’s welfare is at risk, what are our responsibilities as travellers? What are the key criteria for assessing animal-friendly tourism? How should we use our tourist dollars to support ethical and sustainable animal tourism?

For answers, I looked to Leyla Giray Alyanak who blogs at Women on the Road. Leyla writes compelling, thought-provoking articles on social issues for travellers. Her article, 8 Steps to Animal-Friendly Tourism: Making Travel Cruelty-Free was just what I was looking for. It included a list of questions to assess whether or not an activity is animal-friendly.

Lonely Planet’s How to be a responsible wildlife tourist was just as helpful. It helped answer my question about whether or not it was acceptable to support an operator with animals that appeared to be healthy and well fed. The article offered a few other questions to ask: “Do they have room to move and display natural behaviours? Is there protection from the weather and somewhere for them to go to be away from visitors?” Unfortunately, none of the animals I observed in Marrakech met those tests.

On the question of zoos, I looked to the Tourism Teacher. Dr Hayley Stanton’s Are zoo’s ethical? The pros and cons of visiting the zoo discourages blanket boycotting of zoos. She urges readers to evaluate what a particular facility is doing in terms of education, research, breeding, and conservation. Another consideration is whether or not the country in question has a regulatory framework governing animal welfare in zoos.   

And finally, I appreciated 5 Guidelines for Ethical Wildlife Tourism by wildlife biologist, Dr Stephanie Schuttler. The author helps travellers navigate and assess grey areas such rescue and rehabilitation centres and animal sanctuaries. She offers suggestions on how to recognize ethical wildlife tourism, and evaluate explanations on why some animals are housed in rescue situations. A link is provided to a list of accredited zoos and aquariums.  

Now it’s over to you. Please add your thoughts or links to other resources in the comments.

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