Destruction by tourism

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33061, 31 October 1972, Page 22

Destruction by tourism

(By

JOHN CALLCOTT,

oj United Press International, through N.Z.P.A.)

(MORGES (Switzerland). Countries racing to cash in on the continuing boom in tourism are killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Their rush to build hotels land roads and other tourist | facilities is endangering the animals and destroying the beaches, parks and historical sights that attract the visitor in the first place.

Serious environmental damage already has been done, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Targets of I.U.C.N. reform range from African game preserves to the Acropolis in Athens and the Forum in Rome. 1.U.C.N., which shares a building in Morges with the World Wildlife Fund, known for its work in trying to save such endangered species as polar bears, tigers, eagles and whales, shares some interests with its housemate. The conservationists, for example, point to the Serengeti Park, in Tanzania. “Hundreds of cars loaded with tourists drive over the

grass in search of a closer > approach to the wild animals,’’ the union says. “Sometimes unscrupulous drivers chase animals across the flat plains.” The result, of course, is that the animals, especially! the lions, are starting to! leave Serengeti. This en-! dangers them because food I is harder to find elsewhere, , and it represents a danger to the Tanzanian Government, which would lose a considerable amount of in- ; come if no animals were : left. Marine parks in Kenya — where tourism provides more : foreign exchange than any , other single item—-are being i increasingly abused by ; tourists.

Birds on the unique Galapagos are perhaps in greater danger than any other form of wildlife, it says. This applies particularly to the Galapagos albatross," whose breeding habits are being seriously interfered with by noisy, ogling tourists.

And cultural and historical sites in Europe are equally endangered. “Stonehenge on a summer afternoon resembles a monkey island in a zoo, with tourists attempting to climb over the ancient columns and

| fallen stones, and even hacking at them. ‘‘The Acropolis in Athens and the Forum in Rome are subjected to similar pressures from ever-growing and largely uncontrolled numbers lof visitors.” ■ But the greatest threat is ■ posed by poorly planned road i systems and hotel building in areas of scientific, educational and recreational interest. There is considerable pressure, through tourism, on natural resources, says the union warning. “Naturally a point will be reached where the resource, on which it all rests, will be effectively jeopardised and sometimes destroyed.”