‘Wild Economy’ is, quite rightly, bang on trend; the stuff of great dinner party conversations and, increasingly, the foundation of modern, world changing wildlife focused travel.
It’s the driving of rural development and prosperity through the sustainable use of wildlife ‘assets’; it recognises the socio-economic benefits of ecotourism and the value of co-managed conservation areas and the delivery of related ancillary services to protected areas.
Travel should be its cornerstone, giving local communities the means to monetise wildlife and wild habitat on their doorstep; travel that empowers communities, making them the guardians of biodiversity and wildlife; travel that creates a virtuous circle, giving financial incentives to communities to protect biodiversity. That gives more than it takes in the knowledge that a healthy eco-system provides the bedrock for its own future.
Travel that understands this dynamic provides outstanding experiences: safaris that are changing the face of travel and how we see and view wildlife; safaris that are multi-layered, delivering both depth and insight.
Wildlife- based tourism is the fuel for the engine that drives conservation
Jonathan Scott
Cerro Guido in Chilean Patagonia
A century long battle with puma predation
Estancia Cerro Guido is the largest estancia in the province of Ultima Esperanza, spanning 100,000 hectares. One of the region’s main sources of income is cattle raising, with around 1,800 cattle in the area. Since the introduction of sheep over 150 years ago, puma attacks on livestock have increased, leading to significant conflict between cattle owners and the region’s top predator.
In the early 20th Century, a single estancia could lose up to 10% of its annual livestock production. In response, pumas were hunted and killed. Records from the 1920s show that 84 pumas were killed in a single year on one estancia.
Innovative conservation efforts and the Cerro Guido’s success story
Aiming to promote harmonious coexistence between pumas and cattle ranches, the Cerro Guido Conservation Foundation was established in 2019 in response to the ongoing puma-livestock conflict in the region. The foundation’s efforts have resulted in a 30% reduction in annual sheep losses due to predation using an array of innovative strategies. The introduction of sheepdogs and the use of foxlights – which mimic human presence – have successfully deterred pumas, encouraging them to seek alternative prey such as guanacos, hares and rheas.
Camera traps allow researchers to identify “hot zones” where puma sightings are most common, pinpointing high risk areas for livestock. In partnership with the Panthera Foundation, they have successfully collared pumas to monitor their movements; by October 2022 they had identified 45 pumas and collared seven. The introduction of tourism in 2003, not only educates visitors about Patagonian culture, but also directly supports the conservation efforts of the foundation; a percentage of every stay contributes to the funding of its work.
Kamba in the Republic of Congo
Empowering communities to protect western lowland gorillas
The Congo Basin – a vital habitat for the critically endangered Western Lowland gorillas. Our partners Kamba have successfully safeguarded the gorillas and in turn, the local ecosystem. By empowering residents, they have shifted from harmful practices like poaching, mining, and logging to actively protecting these important primates.
The crucial role of the lowland gorilla
Western lowland gorillas play a crucial role in maintaining the health and balance of the Congo ecosystem. Known as ‘gardeners of the forest’, the seeds from the fruits and plants they consume are dispersed throughout the rainforest, regenerating plants and trees that other animals rely on. Thanks to the groundbreaking work of our partners Kamba, the gorillas here are now protected and Ngaga Lodge has become one of Africa’s most important primate research destinations.
Caiman Lodge in the Brazilian Pantanal
Pioneering jaguar rewilding in the Pantanal
Caiman, a 53,000-hectare ecological refuge in the southern Pantanal, where conservation is the premise of its existence. It’s home to one of the most renowned conservation projects in South America, the Oncafari Jaguar Project, which is the first in the world to successfully rewild jaguar. 98% of the Pantanal is privately owned, mostly by cattle ranchers. With cattle comprising nearly a third of the jaguar’s diet, human-animal conflict has been a significant issue, however the profitability of ecotourism at Caiman has underscored the importance of jaguar conservation, encouraging cattle ranchers to collaborate in protecting these predators.
How Oncafari jaguar project are transforming human-animal relationships
Through the Oncafari Jaguar Project, the jaguar have been habituated to vehicles so they can be tracked and observed without feeling threatened. With exceptional chances of seeing jaguar, healthy visitor numbers continue each year, incentivizing land owners and local communities to protect the jaguar, which in turn supports the growth of the jaguar population.
Samara Karoo in South Africa
Samara Karoo Reserve’s inspiring rewilding journey
What was once 67,000 acres of agricultural land is slowly recovering through an ongoing, ambitious programme of land rehabilitation and wildlife reintroduction, working towards a self-sustaining ecosystem. Once witness to one of the world’s largest migrations, when the family purchased the land in 1997 barely a blade of grass grew after generations of over farming.
Invasive species and internal fences were removed allowing the land to begin a period of natural regeneration before the gradual reintroduction of indigenous fauna and flora. Wildlife reintroduction has seen the return of cheetah, elephant and lion, the introduction of the critically endangered desert adapted black rhino and, a mark of true success, the organic return of leopard and vulture.
Reviving wildlife – the remarkable reintroductions at Samara Karoo
- The first cheetah in 130 years
- The first lion in 180 years
- The first elephant in 150 years
- First private property in the region to reintroduce the desert adapted black rhino
Snow Leopard Lodge in Ladakh, India
From persecution to protection – how Ladakh’s community based tourism is saving snow leopards
Our partners in Ladakh have created the perfect example of community-based tourism that acts as a vital tool for conservation. Prior to the Snow Leopard Lodge being opened in Ulley, snow leopards were persecuted as they were seen as a threat to livestock, and therefore livelihood. That all changed when the local community started to benefit from tourism, changing attitudes and incentivising people to protect the snow leopard, viewing these beautiful creatures as an asset rather than a pest.
Monies raised through ecotourism mitigate conflict through the building of livestock enclosures, training farmers in protective herding techniques and a livestock insurance programme ensuring any loss of livelihood is recovered. The Ulley Valley now has a healthy community that happily lives in harmony with the snow leopard. A vital refuge for the snow leopards and a vital source of revenue for this remote part of the Himalayas.
Now we can sleep peacefully instead of guarding our livestock against snow leopards at night.
A satisfied herder on the effectiveness of his snow leopard-proof enclosure
Concrete actions for a sustainable future
- Over 150 livestock enclosures built or improved across Ladakh, benefitting more than 600 families.
- 110 households in four villages are part of the successful insurance livestock program
Arkaba Homestead in Australia
Transforming an outback sheep station into a thriving wildlife conservancy
Once an outback sheep station, the vision for Arkaba and the surrounding 24,300-hectares changed from one of pastoral use to one of conservation when it was purchased in 2009. Grazing and the presence of rabbits had resulted in extensive damage to the landscape resulting in the disappearance of native fauna and flora. Following the removal of fences, a barrier and potential obstacle for wildlife, and the management of feral and non indigenous species, native wildlife in this private wildlife conservancy has flourished, a testament to its dynamic conservation efforts.
Today, these spectacular landscapes of ancient topography provide sanctuary to species including kangaroos, emus, kookaburras and yellow-footed rock wallabies. A 2% levy on all guest stays supports the ongoing conservation journey at Arkaba cementing its preservation for generations to come.
How rich fauna and flora flourish in a recovered landscape
- The removal of 13,647 highly toxic datura plants
- The removal of 16 kilometres of fencing in 2023 allowing wilderness to move freely
- Planting of 277 trees to date
- Home to Australia’s three largest macropods, over 1,200 plant species and more than 120 species of bird, reptile, and amphibian
- Re-establishment of yellow footed rock wallaby colonies
These are only a selection of the fantastic properties and projects we work alongside. We work hard to make sure that the experiences and trips we provide have a positive impact on the world around us whilst being truly extraordinary for you.
You can sit back and travel in confidence knowing that just by being there, you are making a difference.
