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Use of animals in entertainment – an outline of the problem

Kapera Izabela, Kapera Artur

Geography and Tourism

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2022

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Vol. 10, No. 1

17--24

EN

The article outlines issues related to the use of animals in entertainment, specifically addressing circuses. So far, measures banning or restricting the use of animals in circuses have already been adopted in about 1/5 of the world’s countries, and similar legislation is under discussion in many other countries. Poland has a nationwide ban on the use of wild-born animals in circuses, but there are still about a dozen circuses that use animals in their performances. The total number of animals in circuses is estimated at around 250 specimens. In recent years, Polish society’s attitudes toward the use and exploitation of animals have undergone dynamic changes. The purpose of the work was to provide examples of the use of animals in entertainment, with a particular focus on circuses, and to highlight the main associated problems. By attempting to estimate the magnitude of the phenomenon with regard to the country and drawing attention to the controversies surrounding the topic presented, the authors hope that the outlook presented will become a contribution to a broader discussion, also within science.

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Tourism, leisure and zoos - an outline of the problem on the example of Poland

Kapera Izabela, Kapera Artur

Geography and Tourism

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2021

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Vol. 9, No. 2

7--16

EN

Despite often polarized opinions, zoological gardens are among the most frequently visited tourist attractions in the world and there is no indication that they will cease to exist in the coming years. This article presents the zoological gardens from the point of view of tourismand leisure in the light of opinions expressed by visitors in Poland. The aim of this study is to examine what role zoological gardens play in tourism and how they are perceived by visitors to these places in Poland. There are 25 zoological gardens in the country, and they are visited by a total of around 4 million people every year. Attendance in the largest of them reaches over 1.6 million visitors. In the research proceedingsthe opinionsof visitors to Polish zooswere analysed. For that purpose data from the online services Tripadvisor and Google Maps have been gathered. The results show that visitors generally judge the visited places well, and in their opinions they refer mainly to organizational issues, prices and service, rarely paying attention to animal welfare and only occasionally to issues concerning the realization of the educational or conservation function.

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Illegal wildlife products as tourist souvenirs – an outline of the problem from the perspective of Poland

Kapera Izabela, Kapera Artur

Geography and Tourism

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2021

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Vol. 9, No. 1

47--55

EN

The article aims to outline the problem of transporting illegal plant and animal souvenirs by tourists and to analyse the issue from the perspective of Poland. Tourists’ interest in buying wildlife souvenirs is varied, ranging from live animals and plants to food products, leather and wooden goods, and medicines. Travellers buying illegal souvenirs of plant and animal origin often unwittingly contribute to the extinction of the most endangered plant and animal species. The number of CITES specimens seized in Poland annually is approximately 134 between 2009 and 2018 on average. In 2018 alone, nearly 14 thousand specimens were confiscated. These confiscations were largely directed towards Ukraine. However, despite the fact that the problem is acknowledged in the country, and legal regulations have been introduced to counteract it, the tourism sector seems to be oblivious to the problem, and the subject does not appear in the scope of activities pursued by organizations related to the development and promotion of tourism. So far it has rarely been mentioned in the scientific literature, including the field of tourism. The authors hope that the presented analyses will draw attention to the problem and lead to the implementation of more sustainable practices In Polish tourism.

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Hunting tourism in Poland – an outline of the problem

Kapera Izabela, Kapera Artur

Geography and Tourism

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2020

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Vol. 8, No. 2

7--14

EN

Wildlife hunting is a controversial and highly polarised topic both in Poland and abroad. The arguments advanced by the supporters of hunting tourism concern a specific approach to nature conservation and, at the same time, the inflow of additional funds for local communities. The examples from other countries cited in this paper indicate that part of these revenues remain in the source countries and Poland is no exception in this respect. However, regardless of the validity and quality of these arguments, the rather commonly held opinion that shooting of animals is beneficial for nature distracts attention from the fact that Poland is perceived as an El Dorado for tourists who kill ‘for fun’. One of the key issues regarding hunting tourism is whether the development of this form of tourism is an adequate/appropriate/ethical way of using animals compared to other tourism-related activities, such as watching wildlife or taking photographs. On the other hand, it is impossible to expect tourists to depart from commercial killing of animals in Poland over the coming years. For this reason, further research concerning the main problems presented in this article is needed from the perspective of local residents and hunters themselves.

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Animals and their Role in Tourism – Examples and Controversies from around the World and from Poland

Kapera Izabela, Kapera Jacek, Kapera Artur

Geography and Tourism

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2019

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Vol. 7, No. 2

93--102

EN

Fauna, which is an important element of tourist attractiveness, plays an essential role in tourist experience all over the world, and is intended for tourism use in multiple ways. The situation of animals and the approach to their use in tourism differ depending on location, and each of those places has its own legal and cultural approach to animal welfare. This article refers to a variety of examples and – most importantly – controversies from Poland and abroad. The results presented in the paper are based on the information acquired from scientific sources, statistical data, tourist opinions, reports in English and Polish, as well as own observations of the authors and opinions of tourists. The aim was to put forward experiences and practices concerning the use of animals in tourism, highlight its key ideas, and encourage other researchers and students to reflect critically on the place of animals in Polish tourism in particular.