1. Wildlife farming and Sustainable Ecotourism: The Opportunity
University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine.
Wildlife farming and Sustainable Ecotourism: The Opportunity
Michele D. Singh1, Rajkumar Singh1,
Wendy R. Townsend2, Natalia Inagaki De Albuquerque3 and
Gary W. Garcia1
1 Department of Food Production, Faculty of Food and Agriculture,
The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
2 Organization for Tropical Studies, Costa Rica and Noel Kempff Mercado Natural History Museum, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
3 Embrapa Amazônia Oriental. Tv. Enéas Pinheiro s/n, Bairro do Marco, CEP: , Belém -Pará - Brasil

2. Tourist Expenditure in the Caribbean (US $ Billion)
(Silva, 2012)

4. Ecotourism “New tourism” - Sustainable use of natural resources
- Hikes, jungle walks, ziplining, camping
Agro-eco-tourism
- Farm bed & breakfast
- Participation in farm activities (planting, harvesting, feeding, birthing, cooking)
- Preparation of meals with farm products

5. Experiential Tourism Austrian Farm Holidays
Most effective, innovative and the best funded, farm holiday/agritourism marketing & development group in Europe perhaps worldwide
Founded
Supported in part by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth: the latter Ministry is responsible for Tourism Policy in Austria.
Supports farm based tourism enterprises, support agricultural areas and create attractive vacations.
(Cressner 2013-CTO)

6. Latin America-Agro tourism Costa Rica
(Harvey 2013-CTO)

7. Latin America-Agro tourism
Argentina
Paraguay

8. Alligator Farming Everglades, Florida

9. Snake Farming Asia

10. Butterfly Farming St. Martin

11. Objectives
To identify conservation, production and utilization opportunities which can be derived from farming indigenous/neo-tropical animals within the context of eco-tourism.

12. Neo-tropics
“New” Tropics
Mexico to Argentina, including the Caribbean

13. Neo-tropical Animal Farming
Captive rearing of indigenous animals
Extensive/Intensive production
Limited in Trinidad and Tobago and most of Latin America by laws
“Wild Meat” is a delicacy

14. Major Species for Consideration
Most hunted
Most eaten
Most utilized

15. Agouti Dasyprocta leporina

16. Collared peccary/javelina /quenk/wild hog Tayassu tajacu / Pecari tajacu

17. Didelphis marsupialis
Manicou/Opossum
Didelphis marsupialis
Lappe/labba/paca
Cuniculus paca

18. Capybara
Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris
Porcupine
Coendou prehensilis

19. Red brocket deer Mazama americana Tattoo/Armadillo
Dasypus novemcinctus

20. Caiman noir crocodilus
Iguana
Iguana iguana
Spectacled Caiman
Caiman noir crocodilus

21. Fulvous Whistling Tree Ducks
Matte/Tegu
Tupinambis tegui
Fulvous Whistling Tree Ducks
Dendrocygna bicolor

22. Cascadura/Spiny catfish/Hassa Hoplosternum littorale
Coscorob
Aequidens pulcher
Guabine
Hoplias malabaricus

23. Ecotourism Present focus Souvenirs / Food /
Some neotropical wildlife for viewing
Little or none for production, food and nutrition in the Caribbean Region

24. Wildlife Farming Subsistence, little institutional support
Laws and regulations
Limited vertical integration
High value for primary products
High hunting pressure
Illegal importation
Little or no by-product utilisation
Little structure for Conservation
Embryonic stages of development in the Caribbean

25. Potential of wildlife farming for sustainable ecotourism
Indigeneous species – tropical temperature, relative humidity, pests and diseases, feed and nutrition
Contribute to ecological stability
Income directly and indirectly, indigenous taste and culture
National feed and food security
High quality animal protein, favourable pricing
Reduce hunting pressure, promote conservation
Research and development
Multifunctionality of agriculture

26. The Opportunity: The wildlife farming eco experience
An Integral part of the attraction
Viewing, feeding
Hunting, slaughter
By-product utilisation
Indigenous culinary experiences
Sustainability
Components for (production & conservation)
General
Economics

27. Discussion
Products of the neo-tropical animal wildlife farming - eco-tourism experience
* Experience * Ethnocuisine
* Value-added * Education
products/souvenirs

28. Conclusion
Potential to reduce reliance on imported food, feed and livestock – regional food security
There is enormous potential for wildlife farming as a component of sustainable ecotourism
Wildlife farming provides an opportunity to integrate conservation, production and utilization with sustainable eco-tourism.

29. Curry Stewed Agouti
Curried Cascadura
Grilled Guinea Pig
Curried Deer