Since the 90s, a town in the Philippines has based its economy around tourists viewing whale sharks. And while the sharks showed up in reliable numbers during the first decade of Donsol’s venture into tourism, their numbers have become highly unpredictable in the past decade for reasons still unknown.
Travelling has become a new-age religion. Its believers continue to grow, its tenets propagated as gospel truth, and its rituals performed with an enthusiasm that surpasses logic. However, travellers and those reaping the economic benefits of this unparalleled rise have a critical role in making tourist hotspots resilient – thereby aiding their own survival.
Human-dominated mangroves are far from what is considered an ideal environment for otters. And yet this estuarine island on India’s western coast is home to a thriving population of the threatened smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata). Recent studies of this elusive species living in the brackish waters of Chorao island—far from the freshwater sources that otters are typically believed to rely on—offer new insights into otter behaviour that could inform future conservation efforts.
With the farming season limited to just four months in Ladakh, villagers have turned to innovative, low-cost technologies to grow vegetables in winter that improves diets and boosts incomes, but smallholder farmers need post-harvest support.
For 75-year-old Tsering Angdo, today’s Ladakh is entirely different from the world of his childhood in the cold Himalayan desert. Back then, he and everyone he knew would take water supply for granted. Ladakh was never short of water, considering the limited needs of a small population. That is now changing.
Research suggests that in some locations up to 40% of water is consumed by tourists. Tourists tend to splash out far more per day on average than local residents, who are often outcompeted by industry for water access. Using limited freshwater supplies to flush tourists’ toilets means less for residents’ drinking, cleaning and cooking needs.
A rise in visitor numbers to the town of Leh in India’s highlands is taking its toll on the region’s most precious resource — water. Groundwater bears the most impact, but efforts tell us not all is lost.
Creating meaningful, unforgettable travel experiences that inspire you to responsibly explore our home and rediscover yourself. Bookings opening soon for Ladakh 2019!
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© Pheya Media & Adventures LLP 2017-2019
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