Wild mammals
Ecotourism drives forest mammals away in Laos study
Camera traps in a protected reserve reveal that wild mammals avoid visitors despite ecotourism helping to reduce illegal hunting across northern Laos.
Reported by Mongabay · · 1 min read
Ecotourism projects designed to safeguard wildlife may unintentionally displace the very creatures they aim to protect, according to a multiyear survey conducted in northern Laos. Researchers analyzing camera traps placed throughout Nam Ha National Protected Area discovered that many medium and large forest mammals actively steer clear of visitor corridors.
The investigation, published in Global Ecology and Conservation, examined wildlife presence across 59 camera locations between 2013 and 2019. Across the entire reserve, the equipment recorded 45 different medium-sized and large mammal species, including 15 globally threatened varieties. However, camera stations established near trekking trails and kayaking paths recorded an average of only 4.58 mammal species, roughly half the diversity documented at more distant sites.
William Bleisch, the lead researcher, explained that persistent hunting pressure throughout the region has likely left wildlife wary of any human presence. Because animals cannot tell the difference between harmless travelers and armed hunters, they instinctively flee areas with frequent human foot traffic. Sambar deer, crab-eating mongooses, and wild boars demonstrated the strongest aversion to recreational pathways.
Other vulnerable creatures, including Asian elephants, sun bears, and leopard cats, appeared exclusively in undisturbed forest tracts far from tourist activity. Conversely, six smaller species, such as marbled cats and black giant squirrels, were detected only within tourism corridors, where they likely benefit from reduced competition and fewer apex predators.
Although motion-activated cameras documented fewer hunters along guided paths, hunting remains a persistent hazard within the reserve. Local markets around the perimeter continue to sell protected creatures, including pangolins and slow lorises. Bleisch warned that unless authorities strengthen habitat enforcement and restrict hunting, wild animals will remain frightened of humans, limiting both ecological recovery and sustainable tourism.
