Domestic Animal Guidelines

To provide clearer direction for certified operators, and reflect evolving international best practice, contemporary animal welfare principles and responsible visitor expectations.

Ecotourism Australia’s certification criteria have long included robust requirements for responsible animal and wildlife tourism. The Animal and Wildlife Guidelines build on this strong foundation, providing greater clarity and practical guidance for certified operators as international best practice, contemporary animal welfare principles, research and responsible visitor expectations continue to evolve.

The Guidelines also reflect Ecotourism Australia’s commitment to continuous improvement and ensuring certification continues to support high-quality wildlife experiences that prioritise animal welfare, contribute to conservation and help visitors better understand and value wildlife and the natural environment.

No. Many operators already align closely with the Guidelines. Operators with animal or wildlife experiences must review the Guidelines to understand any requirements relevant to their certification.

No. Ecotourism Australia recognises and supports the important role that responsible zoos, wildlife parks, sanctuaries and other wildlife organisations can play in conservation, wildlife protection, rehabilitation, research, breeding programs, education and building greater community understanding of wildlife and the natural environment.

We also recognise that animals in managed care have different behavioural, welfare and management considerations, and that responsible animal care requires specialist expertise and evidence-based approaches.

We are proud to work with many zoos, wildlife parks and sanctuaries that hold ECO Certification and make an important contribution to wildlife conservation. Through species conservation and recovery programs, rehabilitation, research, habitat protection, community education and other conservation initiatives, these organisations can play a significant role in protecting wildlife and supporting positive outcomes for nature. Many certified operators have also continued to evolve their visitor experiences and wildlife interaction practices over time, demonstrating that strong conservation outcomes, high standards of animal welfare and meaningful visitor experiences can go hand in hand.

The Animal and Wildlife Guidelines are not intended to question the role or value of responsible wildlife organisations. Their focus is specifically on the tourism interaction with wildlife – how visitors engage with, observe and experience animals as part of a tourism experience.

The Guidelines build on Ecotourism Australia’s existing robust certification criteria and seek to ensure that certified tourism experiences continue to reflect evolving best practice, prioritise animal welfare, support conservation outcomes and provide meaningful opportunities for visitor education and connection with wildlife.

No. Wildlife experiences can play an important role in connecting people with nature, building understanding of wildlife and conservation, and inspiring visitors to care about the protection of species and their habitats.

The Guidelines do not seek to remove meaningful wildlife experiences. They focus on ensuring that the way visitors interact with wildlife continues to evolve in line with contemporary animal welfare principles and responsible tourism best practice. This includes considering the nature of the interaction, the species involved, animal welfare and choice, the purpose of the experience and the conservation and educational outcomes it supports.

Operators with animals in managed care should review relevant visitor experiences against the Guidelines, with a particular focus on how tourists interact with wildlife, including experiences involving handling, feeding, close contact or close-contact photography.

The Guidelines focus specifically on the tourism interaction with wildlife, including visitor handling, feeding and close-contact experiences. They do not restrict appropriate animal care, welfare and management activities undertaken by suitably trained or qualified staff as part of the responsible care of animals in managed settings where this is necessary for animal welfare, veterinary treatment, husbandry, rehabilitation, staff training or safe operational management.

Ecotourism Australia recognises that many operators already have strong animal welfare, veterinary, conservation, staff training, enclosure management and visitor safety practices in place, and that the needs and behaviours of animals in managed care can vary significantly between species and settings. The staged implementation approach provides time for operators to review their current visitor experiences, understand how the Guidelines apply to their individual circumstances and, where required, plan an appropriate transition.

Not automatically. Existing certified operators remain certified through to 30 June 2028, subject to meeting the existing certification requirements. During the transition, operators should review relevant experiences and prepare for updated criteria. Where updated requirements cannot be met, Ecotourism Australia may apply certification conditions, require removal of an experience from the certified scope, suspend certification or cancel certification.

No. Observation-based, non-invasive experiences are the expected benchmark. A controlled visitor interaction with captive wildlife may be permitted where it forms part of a structured, directly supervised animal care, conservation or educational experience; is suitable for the species and individual animal; is welfare-led and low stress; and meets the visitor interaction, handling and welfare requirements in the Guidelines. Species-specific prohibitions still apply.

Staff-held animals for education and interpretation
We recognise that trained animal care and education staff may handle or hold appropriate animals, including some reptiles, as part of legitimate conservation education, interpretation, husbandry or animal care activities.

Where an animal is held or restrained for an educational presentation, it does not need to be able to freely withdraw at every moment while being appropriately held. However, where additional physical restraint is used for safety – for example, securing the mouth of a crocodilian – the operator must demonstrate that it is necessary and proportionate, consistent with appropriate species-specific welfare practices, and used for the minimum duration necessary.

Where significant restraint is routinely required primarily to enable a visitor experience to occur safely, operators should transition towards less restrictive alternatives such as protected-contact or observation-based presentations. Staff restraint of an animal does not make visitor touching or handling acceptable where this would otherwise be inappropriate.

Visitors should not be encouraged to touch or handle an animal simply because it is being restrained by staff. Species-specific restrictions continue to apply, and direct visitor contact with species recognised as unsuitable for such interaction should not form part of the experience.

Horse riding, camel riding and similar activities are currently permitted where operators demonstrate that the animals are suitable for the activity, workloads are appropriately managed, welfare is monitored, and the experience does not compromise animal wellbeing.

Visitor interaction may be appropriate where it is supervised, low stress, appropriate for the species and individual animal, and does not compromise animal welfare. Animals should not be forced to participate and should be able to avoid or withdraw from the interaction.

Working animals used for demonstrations, mustering, transport or educational purposes may be included where the animals are suitable for the activity, welfare is protected, workloads are appropriately managed, and the activity reflects responsible animal management practices.

Educational demonstrations, husbandry activities and working animal demonstrations may be included where they support interpretation, education or genuine animal management outcomes and do not cause stress, fear, injury or unnecessary behavioural modification.

Visitors may enter paddocks or enclosures where this can be done safely and without causing stress, fear, crowding or disruption to animals. Operators should actively manage visitor behaviour and ensure animals can avoid contact or withdraw from the interaction if they choose.

Visitor feeding may be appropriate where it is supervised, nutritionally appropriate, consistent with the animal’s normal diet, appropriate for the species and individual animal, and does not create welfare, behavioural or biosecurity risks.

Bottle-feeding experiences may be included where they are necessary for animal management, husbandry or welfare purposes and are carefully supervised. Activities should not be created primarily for visitor entertainment where this may compromise animal welfare or husbandry outcomes.

Some domesticated animals may be included in supervised holding or cuddling experiences where the interaction is welfare-led, low stress, appropriate for the species and individual animal, including consideration of the animal’s age, health, temperament and behavioural response to handling. Operators should consider the animal’s age, temperament, frequency of interaction, duration of handling and any signs of stress. Animals should not be forced to participate and should be removed from the activity if welfare concerns arise.

Yes. Activities such as mustering, shearing, milking, working dog demonstrations, feeding rounds and husbandry activities may continue where they are undertaken safely, professionally and in a manner that prioritises animal welfare.

Observation may be appropriate where it supports education and understanding of animal management, provided animal welfare, biosecurity and safety are maintained.

No. The Guidelines do not replace agricultural regulations, animal welfare legislation or standard husbandry practices. The Guidelines focus on how animals are incorporated into tourism experiences and how visitors interact with those animals.

No. Animals should only be included where the interaction is appropriate for the species and individual animal. Operators should consider factors such as the animal’s age, health, temperament, breeding status, behavioural response to visitors and overall welfare. Animals that are unsuitable, unwell, distressed or otherwise unable to participate comfortably should not be included in visitor interactions.

Yes. Operators should implement appropriate hygiene, handwashing, cleaning and disease-prevention measures relevant to the species and setting, particularly where visitors have direct contact with animals. The Animal and Wildlife Guidelines relate to tourism experiences involving animals and do not replace legislative, regulatory or biosecurity requirements established by relevant government agencies. Operators must comply with all applicable legal and biosecurity requirements.

Operators should follow all relevant veterinary, agricultural and biosecurity requirements and may need to modify, suspend or restrict visitor access to protect animal welfare, animal health and biosecurity outcomes. Where required, operators should also follow directions issued by relevant government authorities.

Yes. Petting zoo experiences may be included where interactions are supervised, appropriate for the species and individual animal, limited in duration and frequency, and managed to protect animal welfare. Animals should not be forced to participate and should be able to avoid or withdraw from interactions where appropriate.

Certification and legal compliance are not the same thing. A lawful activity may still be inconsistent with Ecotourism Australia’s approved policy direction and the Animal and Wildlife Guidelines.

Yes. Operators must maintain a documented animal welfare policy for third-party animal and wildlife suppliers, including how suppliers are selected, assessed, approved, periodically reviewed and, where necessary, suspended or removed.

Operators should verify relevant licences, permits, welfare controls and recognised accreditation where relevant; monitor complaints, incidents and regulatory action; and ensure agreements and promotional materials do not encourage unacceptable practices.

Ecotourism Australia will work with the operator to understand the issue, confirm the relevant requirements and agree appropriate next steps through the staged transition approach.

Ecotourism Australia will provide practical guidance and support to help operators understand the Guidelines and review relevant practices against the approved policy direction.

The Animal and Wildlife Guidelines provide detailed guidance for different types of animal and wildlife experiences.

Ecotourism Australia strongly recognises the important conservation contribution made by many wildlife tourism operators, including through species protection and recovery, rehabilitation, research, habitat conservation and visitor education. These outcomes are fundamental to genuine ecotourism and remain an important part of ECO Certification.

However, conservation outcomes and the way visitors interact with wildlife must be considered together. A strong conservation contribution does not automatically mean that every type of visitor interaction is appropriate. The Guidelines consider the nature and purpose of the interaction, animal welfare, the ability of animals to exercise choice and natural behaviours, and the educational and conservation value of the experience.

The aim is to support wildlife tourism where conservation, high standards of animal welfare and meaningful visitor experiences work together.

No. Conservation is fundamental to genuine ecotourism, and many wildlife experiences make an important contribution to species protection, rehabilitation, research, habitat conservation and visitor education. However, a positive conservation outcome does not automatically mean that every form of visitor interaction with wildlife is appropriate.

The Guidelines consider the tourism interaction itself, including animal welfare, the nature and purpose of the interaction, the ability of an animal to exercise choice and natural behaviours, and whether the experience supports responsible visitor education and conservation outcomes.

Ecotourism Australia’s approach is to support wildlife tourism experiences where strong conservation outcomes, high standards of animal welfare and meaningful visitor experiences work together.

Yes. Ecotourism Australia is reviewing the animal and wildlife criteria in alignment with the Guidelines. Until revised criteria are introduced, the existing certification criteria remain the formal standard against which operators are assessed.

This will provide an opportunity to ensure the criteria and supporting guidance work together clearly and consistently, reflect contemporary research and animal welfare principles, and continue to support strong conservation, visitor education and responsible tourism outcomes.

Any new enforceable requirements and applicable implementation timeframes will be clearly communicated when the revised criteria are introduced, together with guidance and transition support.

The certification criteria remain the formal requirements against which operators are assessed for certification. The Animal and Wildlife Guidelines provide additional direction and greater clarity on Ecotourism Australia’s evolving approach to responsible tourism interactions with wildlife and will inform the upcoming periodic review of the criteria.

Importantly, existing certified operators will not lose their certification simply because the Guidelines have been introduced. Where an existing visitor experience may need to evolve to align with the direction of the Guidelines, Ecotourism Australia will work with the operator through the staged transition process.

Certification remains valid during an agreed transition period, subject to operators continuing to meet their existing certification requirements. Any future changes to the formal criteria will be communicated as part of the periodic review process, together with appropriate implementation timeframes and support for operators.

Auditors assess operators against the certification criteria in force at the time of the audit. The Animal and Wildlife Guidelines support interpretation and application of those criteria and set Ecotourism Australia’s policy direction, but they do not replace the formal standard. The approved transition framework also applies alongside the standard and audit requirements.

Existing certified operators have a staged transition period through to June 2028. Operators should use this period to review their current wildlife experiences and progressively make any changes needed to align with the Guidelines, rather than waiting until the implementation deadline.

If an operator is due for audit during the transition period, Ecotourism Australia’s technical support team will provide guidance, identify where visitor experiences may need to evolve and support the operator’s transition.

If an operator is audited before 30 June 2028, the auditor will assess the operator against the certification criteria in effect at that time. Ecotourism Australia may also identify areas for review and provide guidance on preparing for updated criteria under the transition framework.

Operators should use the transition period to review and improve relevant experiences. Any enforceable new requirements and their implementation timeframes will be communicated when revised criteria are introduced.

Once the certification criteria are updated, operators will be required to meet the revised criteria within the applicable implementation timeframes, and auditors will assess against these requirements as part of the formal certification and audit process.

By 30 June 2028, existing certified operators must have completed the approved transition arrangements applicable to them. Verification or further audit activity will occur where required under the certification and audit process.

Existing operators will not automatically lose their certification during the transition period. Ecotourism Australia will work with operators to provide guidance and a reasonable pathway to transition while maintaining the integrity of ECO Certification.

For applicants from 1 July 2026, a proposed certified tourism product must not include direct visitor touching or cuddling of wildlife. For existing certified operators, transition arrangements apply through to 30 June 2028.

Wildlife in captivity – close animal encounter

Controlled and supervised touching or feeding may be appropriate as part of a structured ‘Keeper for a Day’, ‘supervised animal encounter’ or similar animal care or educational experience, where undertaken under the direct supervision of appropriately trained staff. Activities must be appropriate for the species and individual animal, have a genuine animal care, conservation or educational purpose, and be managed to protect animal welfare, including appropriate choice and the ability to withdraw where practicable.

Existing certified operators have a staged transition period through to 30 June 2028. Ecotourism Australia will work with operators during this period to provide guidance and support.

For wildlife in the wild, feeding or baiting is strongly discouraged and is prohibited unless specifically authorised by law and supported by the relevant regulator or land manager. Where authorised, it must be supervised, use food from the animal’s natural diet, avoid unaltered habitat, and not alter natural feeding patterns.

For captive wildlife and domesticated animals, any visitor feeding must be controlled, supervised, nutritionally appropriate and managed to avoid overfeeding, dependency or adverse welfare impacts.

Not all feeding is treated in the same way. The Guidelines recognise that circumstances vary depending on the species, whether animals are in the wild or managed care, and the purpose and management of the activity. Feeding undertaken by appropriately trained staff as part of responsible animal care and management is distinct from feeding offered as a visitor interaction.

Animal choice is an important consideration in responsible wildlife tourism, but it is not the only factor in determining whether an interaction aligns with the Guidelines. The nature of the interaction, the species involved, animal welfare and behaviour, the setting and management of the experience, and the potential impact of repeated visitor interactions must also be considered.

The Guidelines do not restrict legitimate wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, conservation, research, species recovery or education programs. Ecotourism Australia recognises the important role many certified operators, sanctuaries and wildlife organisations play in delivering these programs and the significant contribution they make to wildlife conservation, community awareness and understanding of the natural environment.

The Guidelines focus on the tourism interaction with wildlife – how these activities are incorporated into a visitor experience and how visitors interact with the animals involved.

Activities undertaken by appropriately trained or qualified staff for animal care, welfare, rehabilitation, veterinary treatment, conservation, research or education purposes are distinct from interactions offered to visitors as part of a tourism experience.

Operators can continue to share their conservation, rehabilitation and education work with visitors through interpretation, observation, demonstrations and other appropriately managed experiences. These programs provide valuable opportunities to build understanding of wildlife, conservation challenges and responsible behaviour while ensuring the welfare and needs of the animals remain the priority.

Yes. Operators with current ECO Certification remain certified during the transition period and can continue to promote their certification and use the ECO Certification logo in accordance with Ecotourism Australia’s usual requirements.

Where changes to wildlife experiences are required, operators should actively work towards meeting the new requirements within the transition timeframe. Ecotourism Australia encourages operators to be transparent with visitors, trade partners and other stakeholders about changes they are making to their wildlife experiences and why. This can provide a positive opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement, animal welfare, conservation and responsible tourism best practice.

Ecotourism Australia will provide guidance and support to help operators communicate these changes clearly and positively throughout the transition.

Yes. Ecotourism Australia’s existing certification criteria already include specific requirements for wildlife tourism, including what is and is not permitted when interacting with animals in the wild. The Animal and Wildlife Guidelines build on these established requirements and provide further clarity as responsible wildlife tourism best practice continues to evolve.

For wildlife in the wild, operators must continue to meet the existing certification criteria, including requirements designed to minimise disturbance, protect natural behaviours and habitats, and ensure interactions do not negatively affect animal welfare or conservation outcomes.

For animals in managed care, the Guidelines provide additional direction on visitor interactions, recognising the different behavioural, welfare and management considerations that apply in these settings.

Across both settings, the focus remains on protecting wildlife and supporting high-quality tourism experiences that contribute to conservation, education and a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural environment.

The Guidelines have been developed following Ecotourism Australia’s review of current and emerging best practice and consideration of the risks and expectations associated with wildlife tourism experiences. This has drawn on our work with tourism and sustainability organisations globally, contemporary animal welfare principles and research, industry practice, changing visitor expectations and broader travel and tourism trends.

As the owner of the ECO Certification standard, Ecotourism Australia has a responsibility to regularly review and evolve its certification requirements to ensure they remain robust, credible and reflective of best practice. This is a normal and important part of maintaining a high-standard certification program, and our criteria have evolved throughout the history of ECO Certification as knowledge, industry practices and expectations have changed.

Industry engagement will continue throughout implementation of the Guidelines and through the review of the criteria. We will work directly with affected operators to understand practical considerations, provide guidance and support transition, while continuing to engage with relevant industry, wildlife and tourism stakeholders.

The Guidelines will also inform the upcoming periodic review of the ECO Certification criteria, which will provide a further opportunity for broader engagement and feedback.

The review will not revisit the overall direction established by the Wildlife and Animal Guidelines, but will help ensure the updated criteria are clear, practical and consistently applied.

From 1 July 2026, Ecotourism Australia will not accept an application from, or certify, a future applicant whose proposed certified tourism product includes direct visitor touching or cuddling of wildlife. Prospective applicants should review their animal and wildlife experiences against the Guidelines before applying.

Operators with an application already underway should contact Ecotourism Australia to confirm the requirements and transition arrangements that apply to their circumstances. All applicants must meet the certification criteria applicable at the time of assessment.

The staged transition through to 30 June 2028 applies to existing certified operators. It recognises that established certified products may require time to review and change relevant experiences while continuing to meet existing certification requirements.

To achieve ECO Certification, applicants must meet the certification criteria applicable at the time of their certification assessment. As the animal and wildlife criteria are updated to align with the Guidelines, applicants will need to meet those updated criteria in order to achieve certification.

Which current animal encounters are likely to remain permissible, and which may need to change?
Ecotourism Australia will assess animal and wildlife experiences against the certification criteria applicable at the time of assessment, supported by the Guidelines and transition framework.

Key considerations include whether the experience is welfare-led, low stress and appropriately supervised; supports natural behaviour, animal choice, conservation and education; and avoids coercion, unnecessary restraint and visitor convenience taking priority over animal welfare.

Examples of interactions that are likely to remain acceptable, where appropriately managed, may include:

• Observation-based wildlife viewing where visitors maintain appropriate distances and wildlife can move away freely
• Guided interpretation in zoos, sanctuaries, aquariums or wildlife parks
• Walkthrough aviaries where birds can move freely, avoid visitors, and are not chased, handled, crowded or fed in ways that compromise welfare
• Behind-the-scenes experiences focused on education, conservation, husbandry or research, where visitors observe or learn from trained staff without inappropriate direct contact
• Keeper talks, feeding demonstrations or enrichment activities conducted by trained staff for animal care, welfare or educational purposes
• ‘Keeper for a Day’, ‘supervised animal encounter’ or similar programs where controlled touching or feeding is undertaken under the direct supervision of appropriately trained staff, is appropriate for the species and individual animal, has a genuine animal care, conservation or educational purpose, and protects animal welfare, including appropriate choice and the ability to withdraw where practicable
• Photographs where animals may be visible in the frame, provided the animal has the opportunity to retreat
• Wildlife in the wild experiences such as whale watching, birdwatching, turtle nesting tours, crocodile cruises, platypus tours and reef-based wildlife viewing, where these are conducted in accordance with relevant permits, approach distances, species-specific rules and low-impact visitor management.

Examples of interactions that may require modification include:

• Visitor feeding of wildlife where the activity may create dependency, alter natural feeding patterns, concentrate animals unnaturally or increase disease or safety risks
• Experiences marketed primarily around touching, holding, cuddling, restraining or close-contact photography with wildlife, particularly where there is no genuine conservation or educational purpose or the animal cannot withdraw
• Touch tanks or touch pools where visitors pick up, hold, lift or restrain animals; animals cannot avoid contact or access non-contact retreat areas; contact is repeated or prolonged; or the activity is primarily designed around handling or entertainment rather than welfare, education or conservation
• Behind-the-scenes encounters where visitors are brought into close contact with animals in a way that limits the animal’s ability to retreat

Examples of practices that are unlikely to align with the Guidelines include:

• Visitor holding or cuddling of wildlife outside a structured, directly supervised animal care, conservation or educational experience that meets the Guidelines, and any interaction where the animal cannot retreat
• Close-contact photo opportunities where the animal cannot freely withdraw
• Tourist contact with or feeding of wildlife where this compromises welfare, changes natural behaviour or is primarily for entertainment
• Wildlife performances, tricks or activities that require unnatural behaviours or prioritise visitor entertainment over animal welfare
• Unsupervised feeding of wildlife
• Activities that rely on chasing, surrounding, cornering, calling, luring or otherwise disturbing wildlife to create a viewing or photography opportunity

Ecotourism Australia will consider the specific species, setting, frequency, purpose and management of each experience. Operators should not assume that an example is automatically acceptable in all circumstances.

Ecotourism Australia will assess animal and wildlife experiences against the certification criteria applicable at the time of assessment, supported by the Guidelines and transition framework.

Key considerations include whether the experience is welfare-led, low stress and appropriately supervised; supports natural behaviour, animal choice, conservation and education; and avoids coercion, unnecessary restraint and visitor convenience taking priority over animal welfare.

Examples of interactions that are likely to remain acceptable, where appropriately managed, may include:

• Observation-based wildlife viewing where visitors maintain appropriate distances and wildlife can move away freely
• Guided interpretation in zoos, sanctuaries, aquariums or wildlife parks
• Walkthrough aviaries where birds can move freely, avoid visitors, and are not chased, handled, crowded or fed in ways that compromise welfare
• Behind-the-scenes experiences focused on education, conservation, husbandry or research, where visitors observe or learn from trained staff without inappropriate direct contact
• Keeper talks, feeding demonstrations or enrichment activities conducted by trained staff for animal care, welfare or educational purposes
• ‘Keeper for a Day’, ‘supervised animal encounter’ or similar programs where controlled touching or feeding is undertaken under the direct supervision of appropriately trained staff, is appropriate for the species and individual animal, has a genuine animal care, conservation or educational purpose, and protects animal welfare, including appropriate choice and the ability to withdraw where practicable
• Photographs where animals may be visible in the frame, provided the animal has the opportunity to retreat
• Wildlife in the wild experiences such as whale watching, birdwatching, turtle nesting tours, crocodile cruises, platypus tours and reef-based wildlife viewing, where these are conducted in accordance with relevant permits, approach distances, species-specific rules and low-impact visitor management.

Examples of interactions that may require modification include:

• Visitor feeding of wildlife where the activity may create dependency, alter natural feeding patterns, concentrate animals unnaturally or increase disease or safety risks
• Experiences marketed primarily around touching, holding, cuddling, restraining or close-contact photography with wildlife, particularly where there is no genuine conservation or educational purpose or the animal cannot withdraw
• Touch tanks or touch pools where visitors pick up, hold, lift or restrain animals; animals cannot avoid contact or access non-contact retreat areas; contact is repeated or prolonged; or the activity is primarily designed around handling or entertainment rather than welfare, education or conservation
• Behind-the-scenes encounters where visitors are brought into close contact with animals in a way that limits the animal’s ability to retreat

Examples of practices that are unlikely to align with the Guidelines include:

• Visitor holding or cuddling of wildlife outside a structured, directly supervised animal care, conservation or educational experience that meets the Guidelines, and any interaction where the animal cannot retreat
• Close-contact photo opportunities where the animal cannot freely withdraw
• Tourist contact with or feeding of wildlife where this compromises welfare, changes natural behaviour or is primarily for entertainment
• Wildlife performances, tricks or activities that require unnatural behaviours or prioritise visitor entertainment over animal welfare
• Unsupervised feeding of wildlife
• Activities that rely on chasing, surrounding, cornering, calling, luring or otherwise disturbing wildlife to create a viewing or photography opportunity.
• Ecotourism Australia will consider the specific species, setting, frequency, purpose and management of each experience. Operators should not assume that an example is automatically acceptable in all circumstances.

A close-contact photograph is generally a photo opportunity where the visitor is positioned very close to an animal in a way that creates, encourages or depends on direct interaction, handling, restraint, touching, feeding, luring, crowding or the animal being used as a prop. The issue is not only the physical distance between the visitor and the animal.

Ecotourism Australia will also consider whether the animal has choice, whether it can withdraw, whether it is being positioned for the photograph, whether staff or visitors are encouraging contact, and whether the experience risks normalising inappropriate wildlife behaviour.

A photograph may be more likely to align with the Guidelines where:

• the animal is not touched, held, restrained, lured or positioned for the visitor
• visitors remain at an appropriate distance for the species and setting
• the animal can move away or avoid the encounter
• the interaction is brief, calm, supervised and low stress
• the photograph supports education, interpretation or appreciation rather than presenting the animal as a prop.

For example, a visitor standing at an appropriate distance near a koala in a managed setting may be acceptable if the koala is not handled or restrained, the animal can move away, and the experience is supervised and welfare-led. A photograph where a visitor holds, touches, cuddles or is positioned immediately beside wildlife that cannot withdraw is unlikely to align with the Guidelines.

Behind-the-scenes photographs may be acceptable where the experience is genuinely educational, controlled by trained staff, and does not involve inappropriate touching, restraint, crowding or positioning of the animal for visitor photography. Animals appearing in the frame of a photograph are not automatically a concern if the image reflects appropriate distance, no direct contact and responsible visitor behaviour.

Promotional materials should reflect the standards expected in the visitor experience. Ecotourism Australia will consider whether images, videos, brochures, social media posts, itineraries and booking content encourage or normalise behaviour that is inconsistent with the Guidelines.

Images may be considered inappropriate where they show or encourage:

• visitors holding, cuddling, restraining or touching wildlife
• close-contact photographs where the animal cannot withdraw
• feeding wildlife where this is not authorised, appropriate and clearly controlled
• chasing, surrounding, crowding, calling or luring wildlife
• animals used as props or entertainment
• unsafe or disrespectful visitor behaviour
• interactions that appear to undermine animal welfare, natural behaviour or responsible visitor conduct.

Historic images should be reviewed and, where necessary, replaced during the transition period. Operators should avoid using images that promote practices inconsistent with the Guidelines or the certification criteria in force. By 30 June 2028, promotional material connected with certified experiences should reflect the approved transition arrangements and any revised certification requirements then applicable.

Images that show animals in frame without touching, feeding or inappropriate proximity may be acceptable where they accurately represent responsible, observation-based experiences.

Ecotourism Australia recognises that some wildlife interactions may generate revenue that supports conservation, rehabilitation, research, education or habitat protection. This contribution is important and will be considered as part of the broader conservation context of the operation.

However, conservation funding does not automatically make interaction acceptable. The visitor interaction itself must still be assessed against the Guidelines, including animal welfare, animal choice, natural behaviour, visitor management, species suitability, frequency and whether the activity is consistent with responsible tourism best practice.

Operators should be able to explain both:

• how the experience contributes to conservation or education outcomes, and
• how the interaction is designed and managed so that animal welfare is not compromised.

The aim is to support experiences where conservation outcomes, high standards of animal welfare and meaningful visitor education work together.

Guides should intervene promptly and respectfully. Guests should be reminded that feeding wildlife can cause harm by changing natural behaviours, creating dependency, increasing aggression, spreading disease and putting both wildlife and people at risk.

Operators should have clear procedures for unauthorised feeding, including:

• pre-tour briefings that explain no-feeding rules
• signage or written visitor information where appropriate
• staff authority to stop the behaviour immediately
• safe collection or removal of food where practical
• incident recording where feeding occurs
• review of whether additional visitor management controls are needed.

Repeated unauthorised feeding may indicate that stronger supervision, clearer messaging or changes to tour design are required.

If you have questions about the Guidelines or how they may apply to your business, please contact the Ecotourism Australia Certification Team.