by Fiona Thompson

Created on: July 03, 2007

Useful tips for interacting with wildlife during an adventure vacation can be split into two strands. Are you actively seeking to observe wild animals or do you need to know what to do in the event that you should encounter them during some other activity?

If you are planning to observe animals as part of your vacation you may wish to find out whether there are any facilities in the area relevant to your interest. Some reserves and parks have guides who can accompany you and they will be able to advise you on not only what there is to see but what to do if an animal gets closer than you'd like.

Whether you are looking for animals or not, rule number one is "Keep your distance". Do not get too close to any animal, even if it looks friendly. you are not to know whether the animal is a mother with young nearby; the first instinct of any parent is to protect his or her young and just because you can't see the younger animal does not mean it is not close.

In North America and central and eastern Europe the animal which causes most concern is the bear. If you are wanting to avoid bears - for example if your activity involves going through an area where there may be bears, you should make as much noise as possible to ensure the bears keep away from you. Even if you are happy to spot a bear, do NOT place yourself less than 100 yards from a bear. Do not look any wild animal directly in the eye as this can be taken as a sign of aggression.

For different animals there are generally accepted ways of dealing with a surprise sighting that is closer than you would like. However, I will not go into them all here, suffice to say that you should always make sure you are fully informed as to the potential risks from wildlife before you embark on any activity that is not supervised by a professional. Keep young younger children right beside you at all times and make sure older children know what to do in an emergency.

While it may be tempting to feed animals you should not feed them under any circumstances. Wild animals hunt for their own food and to tempt them with food can pose all sorts of problems. If animals associate people with an easy source of food, they will be more likely to come into town to scavenge. Once fed this way they may expect it and target you. Furthermore, wild animals eat food that is right for them. Processed food designed for humans is not right for wild animals and can cause dental and digestive problems for animals. If wild animals get a taste for this kind

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