Unhealthy travelers present challenges to sustainable primate ecotourism

Muehlenbein, Michael P.; Martinez, Leigh Ann; Lemke, Andrea A.; Ambu, Laurentius; Nathan, Senthilvel; Alsisto, Sylvia; Sakong, Rosman

doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2010.03.004

« Previous Next »Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
Volume 8, Issue 3 , Pages 169-175, May 2010

Unhealthy travelers present challenges to sustainable primate ecotourism

Michael P. Muehlenbein
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, 701 E. Kirkwood Ave., Student Building 130, Bloomington, IN 47405-7000, USA
- Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, B Block, Wisma MUIS, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Sabah, Malaysia
- Corresponding author. Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, 701 E. Kirkwood Ave., Student Building 130, Bloomington, IN 47405-7000, USA. Tel.: +1 812 855 1495; fax: +1 812 855 4358.
Leigh Ann Martinez
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, 701 E. Kirkwood Ave., Student Building 130, Bloomington, IN 47405-7000, USA
Andrea A. Lemke
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin, 3413 N. Downer Ave., Sabin Hall 290, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA
Laurentius Ambu
- Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, B Block, Wisma MUIS, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Sabah, Malaysia
Senthilvel Nathan
- Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, B Block, Wisma MUIS, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Sabah, Malaysia
Sylvia Alsisto
- Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, B Block, Wisma MUIS, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Sabah, Malaysia
Rosman Sakong
- Red Ape Encounters, P.O. Box 3109, Sandakan 90734, Sabah, Malaysia

Received 19 October 2009; received in revised form 23 February 2010; accepted 17 March 2010. published online 20 April 2010.

Summary

Background

Ecotourism can function as a powerful tool for species conservation. However, a significant proportion of travelers at wildlife sanctuaries may be ill and potentially infectious, creating unnecessary risk of pathogen transmission to wildlife.

Methods

A questionnaire was distributed to adult visitors at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Sabah, Malaysia. The questionnaire recorded age, occupation, region of origin, history of recent travel, recent contact with livestock, domestic and wild animals, and diagnoses/symptoms of various infections.

Results

15% of the 633 tourists self-reported at least one of the following current symptoms: cough, sore throat, congestion, fever, diarrhea and vomiting. Participants who reported recent animal contact were significantly more likely to report current respiratory symptoms compared to other participants. Likewise, participants with a medical-related occupation were more likely to report current respiratory symptoms while at Sepilok compared to other participants.

Conclusions

Despite being ill and potentially infectious, these tourists were visiting a wildlife sanctuary to view endangered species. Many of these visitors had animal contact immediately prior to arriving, and many had at least some basic knowledge about infection transmission. While participants in nature-based tourism are generally concerned about environmental protection, present analyses suggest that a significant proportion of ecotourists are uninformed of the risks they may pose to non-human animal health.

Keywords: Primate, Sepilok, Anthropozoonoses, Zoonoses, Tourism