Un estudio llevado a cabo por la investigadora Femke Broekhuis pone de manifiesto que el guepardo, uno de los felinos africanos más amenazados, reduce drásticamente el promedio de crías que saca adelante cuando la presión turística es alta.
Female cheetahs that were exposed to high tourist abundance on average raised 0.21 ± 0.72 cubs to independence compared to 2.32 ± 0.11 cubs in low tourism areas.
Actions that could be taken to ensure that tourists do not have a negative impact on cheetahs include 1) allowing no more than five vehicles at a cheetah sighting, 2) ensuring that no tourist vehicles are allowed near a cheetah lair, 3) ensuring that vehicles keep a minimum distance of 30 m at a cheetah sighting, 4) ensuring that noise levels and general disturbance at sightings are kept to a minimum, 5) ensuring that vehicles do not separate mothers and cubs, and 6) ensuring that cheetahs on a kill are not enclosed by vehicles so that they can detect approaching danger. These guidelines could be incorporated into management policies and distributed to tourists upon arrival. Rangers could then ensure the policies are upheld.
Broekhuis, F. (2018). Natural and anthropogenic drivers of cub recruitment in a large carnivore. Ecology and Evolution.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.4180
Si es que no hacemos nada bien. Hay que regular seriamente el turismo pero ya.
