Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Kissimmee, Florida: Why sit on that alligator?

After spending several days in Kissimmee at the Travel South convention and after touring Polk County, I’ve seen examples of tourism where sound initiatives are being taken to preserve natural biodiversity, culture and promote sustainable tourism. I’m thinking of Bok Tower Gardens, Circle B Bar Reserve and Hollis Gardens (see my previous Polk County posts, below).

I’ve also seen some sights which I consider disturbing, particularly when it comes to educating us all about how to deal with wild or captured wild animals.

For instance, when it comes to ’gators, why do we have to watch “handlers” wrestle with them? That’s what I asked the two handlers at Gatorland after the crowds had left the alligator viewing area where they’d “entertained us” by sticking their fingers into an alligator’s eye and wrestling with it. They replied, “Yes ma’am, we do question whether that’s a good idea all the time. We’re concerned about it and we do talk about it.”

And I should think so. If this is “education” then why wouldn’t some children think a wild alligator is equally “approachable”?

At another venue, Boggy Creek Airboat Rides, tourists such as me were asked to come sit on a ’gator to have our pictures taken. I don’t think so…

Poor alligators. Watching the supersized “Spandex crowd” squash a ’gator with their butt seems outright bad practice to me.

What do you think? Sustainable tourism? Not.

Sustainable tip: When you travel, when you bear witness to activities you think are questionable, ask: why are you doing this? The positive outcome? People think about what they are doing and consider this: you may encourage sustainable, eco-friendly change.

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