Animal & Wildlife Guidelines
Ecotourism Australia is committed to ensuring that animal welfare is the primary consideration in all wildlife tourism experiences. Our policy review, endorsed by the Board, has been informed by contemporary animal welfare science and leading Australian and international best practice.
Ecotourism Australia’s approach to wildlife has always been grounded in the core principles of ecotourism: conservation, protection and education. For more than 30 years, our certification criteria have recognised that wildlife tourism should contribute positively to conservation outcomes, foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of nature, and ensure the welfare of animals remains central to every visitor experience. This review builds on those longstanding principles, strengthening our criteria to reflect contemporary animal welfare science, evolving community expectations and international best practice.
As with all aspects of our certification program, periodic review and continuous improvement are essential to maintaining credibility and ensuring certified experiences continue to meet evolving international expectations, including acknowledging that ethical expectations around tourism experiences involving animals are also evolving.
Updated Guidelines for Operators
Wildlife in the Wild
Wildlife in the wild experiences should remain observation-based, low impact and designed to avoid interference with natural behaviours, habitat use, feeding, breeding, nesting, resting or movement.
Wildlife in Captivity
Wildlife in captivity experiences should be observation-based, allowing animals to freely choose whether to participate, disengage or retreat. Experiences should not involve holding, cuddling, restraining or close-contact interactions that prioritise visitor expectations over animal welfare.
Domesticated Animals
Domesticated animal experiences should demonstrate humane treatment, appropriate duty of care, trained staff, suitable working conditions, rest periods, veterinary care, safe visitor management and compliance with relevant Australian animal welfare standards and jurisdictional requirements.
Third-Party Suppliers
Operators that include third-party animal or wildlife experiences should demonstrate documented supplier due diligence, an animal welfare policy, verification of licences and welfare controls, ethical promotion, ongoing monitoring, timely action on concerns and removal of suppliers that do not meet Ecotourism Australia’s certification expectations.