Earth's Worth: Page 5 Endangered Species Handbook

Vanishing Species

Earth's Worth: Page 5

Ecotourism and non-destructive recreational uses of nature are among the most valuable of all services nature provides, according to the study mentioned above, and many countries have seen dramatic rises in their revenues from tourism in recent years. In 1995, Botswana earned $100 million from tourism; South Africa reported $6 billion in tourism revenues. Kenya earned $452 million the same year, which paid the wages of 13 percent of its population. One tour company, the Conservation Corporation of Africa, or Conscorp, works out arrangements with local villages in which it promises to build schools and clinics near its lodges, employing many local people in the process. It also buys seeds for farmers to plant vegetables to sell to its lodges and brings villagers from the area into the reserve to educate them about wildlife and ecotourism. Conscorp runs some 22 small--but expensive--lodges in Africa from Kenya to Zanzibar, none of which allows game hunting; its revenues topped $30 million in 1996. Costa Rica, one of the world's primary ecotourist countries, has set aside 25 percent of its land for conservation, and ecotourism draws 1 million visitors per year, who spent some $800 million in the country (CNN special: "What Price Nature?" March 2001). This industry continues to grow at a rate of 20 percent a year, with visitors coming to its cloud forests, tree canopy tours and beaches where sea turtles nest.

In terms of the value of animals, the income from exploitation is dramatically lower than that from ecotourism. African Elephants, for example, when killed for trophies, earn some $4,000 to $20,000 for governments in fees, and the tusks sell for an average of $2,000 apiece. From ecotourism, however, an East African elephant produces an estimated $1 million during its 60 years (Currey and Moore 1994). A 1989 analysis found that the viewing value of tourists who come to Kenya to see elephants is estimated at a minimum of $25 to $30 million per year (Brody 1994). Tourists come from around the world to see these massive animals, and the governments of most African countries place a higher value on live elephants than dead ones. Trophy hunting also kills off the big bull elephants, which are the main breeding animals, as well as large matriarchs, who play a crucial role in guiding and protecting herds. These are the very elephants tourists come to see.

Endangered species in the United States also draw many tourists who travel long distances to see Whooping Cranes in their wintering marshes in Aransas, Texas; Gray Wolves in Yellowstone National Park; and California Condors newly reintroduced near the Grand Canyon.

Whales are extremely valuable in ecotourism. They are becoming major money-earners to the increasing numbers of whale-watching tours worldwide. In 1992, 37 countries conducted whale watching tours, and the United States alone earned $260 million. Since then, whale-watching has grown in popularity. A study by the International Fund for Animal Welfare found that in 1998, revenues from whale-watching exceeded $1 billion, with 9 million people participating in 87 countries and 500 communities. By contrast, a single Minke Whale sells for about $100,000 (Talmadge 2000), a one-time profit from these long-lived animals that is far less than they would produce during their lifetimes. Yet wealthy countries, such as Norway and Japan, are still killing whales, catering to whalers, who form a tiny segment of their populations.

Bird- and wildlife-watching and feeding have become major industries in the United States. A Fish and Wildlife Service survey found that in 1991, Americans who watched, photographed and fed birds and other wildlife spent $18.1 billion (Blom 1997). The spending generated nearly $40 billion in total economic activity and supported 766,999 jobs (Blom 1997). Equipment sales for wildlife appreciation totaled $10.6 billion, followed by $7.5 billion spent on travel-related goods and services, and $1.5 billion on wild bird feed (Blom 1997). A 1996 survey found that while only 3 million people in the United States hunted migratory birds, 25 million Americans were considered avid bird-watchers who would drive a mile or more to observe or photograph birds, and 50 to 60 million people in the United States watch birds at their feeders.

The Fish and Wildlife Service found in a 1996 survey that wildlife watchers, fishers and hunters spent $100 billion on equipment, travel, and publications. When total economic profits were analyzed by the Fish and Wildlife Service in terms of hunters vs. bird-watchers, the bird-watchers spent some $14 billion on all aspects of bird-watching, while bird hunters spent $1.3 billion. American Demographics magazine estimated that an even greater amount, $18 billion, was spent by American birders on their hobby. In economic output, Ducks Unlimited, a hunting organization, estimated that bird hunting generated $3.6 billion, while non-consumptive use of birds earned $15.9 billion.