Marine wildlife and tourism management: insights from the natural and social sciences

Abstract This book seeks to underscore the need for scientific approaches to first understanding and then managing tourist interactions with marine wildlife. It draws upon the work of leading natural and social scientists whose work serves the interests of sustainable wildlife-based marine tourism. Thus from within the natural science disciplines of marine biology, environmental science, behavioural ecology, conservation biology, and wildlife management come chapters that provide insights into the effects of human disturbance on marine wildlife, the impacts that tourists may have upon wild animals, and the management approaches to mitigating impacts that may in the long term be biologically significant. Equally from the social science disciplines of geography, sociology, management and social anthropology are drawn chapters that explore demand for marine wildlife experiences, the benefits that visitors derive from their experiences, ethical and legislative contexts, and management issues that arise when tourists interact with populations of wild animals in coastal and marine environments.