Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Commonly featured in Animal Alert, the use of wild animals as photographic props is widespread and the variety of animals used extensive - so much so that Born Free is launching a campaign this summer to raise awareness, influence action and phase-out this exploitative use of animals, which holds no educational or conservation value.

Venture to hotel resorts throughout the Caribbean, Mexico and some destinations in Europe, areas of high tourist concentrations in Spain, Romania, Tunisia, Morocco, Sri Lanka and China and within zoos throughout the world, and tourists are likely to see individual wild animals exploited as photographic props.  (See photo prop reports received at Born Free here) At a price, tourists can have their photograph holding or stroking (or in some cases sitting on) lion and tiger cubs, a variety of reptiles, birds and monkeys, the occasional chimpanzee or orangutan and in some locations even dolphins, bears and elephants.  The participant is usually completely unaware of the serious animal welfare implications or the risks to public health and safety (see below).

The Travelife Animal Attractions Handbook, adopted for use by the international travel industry, only permits direct contact between animal and participant when there is a clear educational value with no monetary gain and where animals are provided high standards in welfare and only used for short periods of time.  The exploitation of any animal for souvenir photographs which do not meet these requirements is to be particularly discouraged. 

Find out more about the animal welfare implications

Find out more about the human health and safety risks

Born Free is notified of such activities by compassionate travellers, who contact the charity in their thousands to inform and provide details about the exploitation they have seen, which has, more often than not, spoiled their holiday experience.  The UK travel industry, through the Federation of Tour Operators, has responded to Born Free’s request for action to end this animal abuse and tour operators are now encouraged to put a stop to the use of wild animals as photographic props in hotel resorts and excursions frequented by their customers.

“The Federation of Tour Operators, in consultation with the Born Free Foundation, have developed a Preferred Code of Practice for Animal Attractions in which the practice of using animals for photographic props is strongly discouraged on animal welfare grounds.  Thomas Cook participated fully in the development of this Code of Practice and wholly endorses its view of such practices.”
Nancy Brock, Responsible Business Co-ordinator, Thomas Cook

Hotel resorts and captive animal attractions which allow wild animals to be exploited as photographic props:

Photo prop animals – reports received by Born Free (as at 18/07/08)

Hotels

• Barcelo Premium Punta Cana Resort, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• RIU Palace Macao, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• Caribe Club Princess, Punta Cana, Dominican, Republic
• ClubHotel Riu Bachata, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
• Iberostar Paraiso Beach Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico
• El Dorado Seaside Suites, Riviera Maya, Mexico
• El Dorado Royale, Riviera Maya, Mexico
• Gran Bahia Principe, Riviera Maya, Mexico
• ClubHotel Riu Tequila, Playa del Carmen,Mexico
• Riu Cancun Hotel & beach, Cancun, Mexico
• Riu Caribe, Cancun, Mexico
• Riu Palace Las Americas Hotel, Cancun, Mexico
• Sandos Caracol Beach Resort & Spa, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
• Sandos Playa Car Beach Resort & Spa, Playa Car
• A'Famosa Resort, Melacca, Malaysia
• Marhaba Club Hotel, Sousse, Tunisia
• Eftalia Holiday Village, Konakli, Turkey
• Beach outside Djadsal Hotel, Cape Verde

Within Zoos

• Shenzhen Safari Park, Shenzen, China
• Kunming Zoo, Kunming, China
• Chime Long Hotel & Safari Park, Guangzhou, China
• Harbin Wildlife Park, Harbin, China
• Cairo zoo, Egypt
• Turtle Park, Tanjung Benoa, Indonesia
• Taman Safari, Bogor, Indonesia
• Sunway Lagoon, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
• Johor Zoo, JLN Gertak, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
• Saleng Zoo & Tropical Fish Farm, Mersing, Malaysia
• Safari-Zoo Mentz, Mallorca, Spain
• Rio Safari Elche, Elche, Alicante, Spain
• Pola Park, Tarragona, Catalunya, Spain
• Chiang Mai zoo, Chiang, Thailand
• Koh Samui Aquarium & Tiger Zoo, South Lamai, Thailand
• Million Years Stone Park & Pattaya Crocodile Farm, Chonburi, Thailand
• Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, Chonburi, Thailand
• Nong Nooch Botanical Garden, Chonburi, Thailand
• Phuket FantaSea, Phuket, Thailand
• Phuket Zoo, Phuket, Thailand
• Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo, Samphran District, Thailand
• Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo, Samut Prakan, Thailand
• The Rose Garden, Just outside Bangkok, Thailand
• Tiger Temple, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
• Wat Doi Suthep Temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand
• MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, USA
• Natural Bridge zoo, Virginia, USA
• Kalahari Water Park Resort, Sandusky, Ohio, USA

Various

• Lake January, Amazon, Brazil
• Sunny Beach, Nr Burgas, Bulgaria
• Dancing bears, various locations, India
• Street monkey in Mumbai, India
• 5th Avenue, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
• ‘Wild Cabos’ stand at the Marina, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• Cozumel beach, Cozumel, Mexico
• Beccici Beach, Montenegro
• Djemaa el-Fna Square (Square of the Dead), Marrakech, Morocco
• Agadir Market areas, Agadir, Morocco
• Main Square, outside Spa centre, Krynica, Poland
• Outside Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania
• Galati Town, Romania
• Black Sea Beaches, Mamaia, Constanta, Romania
• Outside Izlovski Market, Moscow, Russia
• Red Square, Moscow, Russia
• Outside the ‘Hermitage’ Museum & vicinity  St. Petersburg, Russia
• Levante Beach & Market areas in Benidorm, Spain
• Beaches in Bentota, Sri Lanka
• Maesa Elephant Camp, Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Streets of Bangkok, Thailand
• Kho Tapu Island, Thailand
• Wat Doi Suthep Temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Market at bridge on River Kwai,  Thailand
• The Medina, outside Carthage Land Theme Park, Yasmine Hammamet, Tunisia
• Hisaronu main street, Turkey
• Old Town Kissimmee, Classic Car Show, Florida, USA
• Las Vegas Boulevards, Nevada, USA
• St Kitts Port, St. Kitts and Nevis
• Roadsides in Kandy, Sri Lanka
• Various bars & restaurants in Magaluf, Mallorca, Spain
• Various bars & restaurants in Ibizia, Spain