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Although bear tours are commonly associated with holidays (and fantastic holidays they are) they can also have a slightly more serious and contributory side. Sadly, in some parts of the world, bear populations continue to be under various forms of pressure.

South East Asia

Both the Asian Black Bear (sometimes called the moon bear) and the sun bear (also known as the honey bear) are under intense pressure. This is partly due to attacks on humans and competition for land, but a large contributory factor is the demand from traditional medicine in the region for bear bile. This is often produced from captive bears in ways that have been condemned as pain inducing and barbaric.

The Arctic

Polar bears are also at risk. The causes here are partly to due to receding ice – presumed to be attributable to global warming – but pollution and hunting are also major factors.

Kamchatka

A peninsula in the Russian Far East and home to numerous brown bears, wildlife walks a finely-balanced tightrope between the local tradition of hunting the animals and a growing conservation inclination.

Bear tours

These areas mentioned are just three in the world where bears are in danger – there are many more. Although the practice of tourism through bear tours cannot single-handedly solve the problem in these domains or any others, they do have an important part to play.

In the past, conservation efforts have been focused on trying to preserve these incredible creatures through the creation of central legislation from the governments concerned.
Although this is important and has a role to play, it has sometimes been less than effective. That’s because the areas concerned are vast and, sometimes, local enforcement is difficult or even virtually impossible. The idea of vast armies of wardens or police trying to protect bears is impractical and now a dated concept.

Instead, more modern efforts focus on education and the raising of awareness in local populations. It is also increasingly recognised that the social and economic pressures on local people to continue their traditional practices with local bear populations must be countered, if the bears are to have a future. That’s why tourism and bear tours are increasingly important – and there are ‘bear-encounter’ holidays in all of the above locations.

Local populations see this form of environmentally friendly tourism as generating income and work for their societies. The more that they see that their bears are a precious local resource that brings benefit to them, then the greater will be their tendency to help protect that fragile resource. So, while enjoying the thrilling experience of seeing bears in their natural environment on bear tours, you’re also helping to protect these fantastic animals.

Paul Stanbury is the Operations Manager for Naturetrek, a tour operator specialising in expert-led natural history and bear tours worldwide. Naturetrek bring over 25 years of experience to their bear tours in some of the most spectacular regions on Earth.

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