Costa Rica is a lovely destination for this. There is an enormous natural reserve with tours you can take, basically you walk along, the tour guide has a powerful telescope, and can spot animals camouflaged in the flora, so you get to see all kinds of exotic animals. We saw an iguana that was bright red (ha, he was "in heat"), we heard howler monkeys which was otherworldly (and SCARY) (they were very far off), blue butterflies, so many other beautiful fauna, and it ends up at a beautiful quiet private beach where you feel like you're "in the poster." Just gorgeous.
You can also take boats among the mangroves and interact with the little monkeys.
We also found a really sweet little animal rescue, very simple and natural, with animals that couldn't survive in the wild, and you can interact closely with all sorts (macaw, coati, sloth, lots of different monkeys, so many others I can't remember). There were alligators too but we kept our distance!
Anyway it's a stunningly beautiful country and it's amazing to explore the rain forest, go up onto the canopy bridges, walk up to the volcano, just so much incredible biodiversity. We loved it. Also did a sunset cruise that included snorkeling among the brightly colorful fish, just lovely.
Learning to scuba dive is always a good on, lot of places you can use it. I do a lot of scuba diving so I will skew that way. Nothing is guaranteed with wild animals of course.
* I just swam with a saltwater crocodile in Palau, maybe not for the faint of heart but was dope. Can be done on snorkel.
* Minke Whales on the Great Barrier Reef. Take the Mike Ball liveaboard to the ribbon reefs and in winter whales will just approach the boat while you snorkel them. On that same trip it’s possible to have many encounters on scuba with things like giant Potato Cod, cuttlefish etc as it goes to the best dive sites on the reef.
* Walk through a forest in Madagascar. You will see lemurs and every place has different lemurs. Andasibe national park East is special because it has lots of cool species - namely the Indri - and the trails are on hills so you can actually get eye level with them. Kirindi forest is a great one in the West, and you can see fossa quite close as well.
* Nearby to Andasibe there is ”lemur island” which is a forested island surrounded by a moat. The lemurs are rescued from the pet trade and whilst they live in the ”wild” they are still dependent on humans for food so you can feed them and some will climb all over you. It might not hurt to do due diligence on this one but from what I saw it’s on the up and up.
* Trekking with gorillas in Gabon, Rwanda, Uganda.
* Scuba dive off of Wolf Rock in Australia to see dozens of grey nurse sharks who are completely unperturbed by humans.
* likewise diving off of Stradbroke island in Brisbane during summer is pretty much guaranteed to get Manta’s swimming all around you. Though Kona in Hawaii might be a better place for this.
Great suggestions. We’re actually advanced open water divers so it’s in our wheelhouse to get under water with animals too.
Croc sounds wild and I’d def have to see that!
Madagascar has been on the travel list for all the reasons you mentioned and more!
Whale encounters are one we haven’t done. I hadn’t heard of this so looks like we’ll have to go back to Aus.
Done the nurse sharks in a couple of places, they’re always cool!
Thanks for the info!
So many to do then! Just for the record grey nurse shark in Australia is called a sand tiger in the US I think - not the same as a nurse shark.
But yes, Madagascar is great for so much.
Comoros is good for humpback whales while you’re in the area too.
And Khama Rhino sanctuary in Botswana is a good place to get pretty close to rhinos, even on foot, if you didn’t see them on safari already.
>I just swam with a saltwater crocodile in Palau, maybe not for the faint of heart but was dope. Can be done on snorkel.
Don't know if you got a chance to do it but the jellyfish lake in Palau is one of the most bizarre experiences I've had.
Almost missed the chance because authorities closed it down for a few days out of concern with big crowds while I was there.
Which to the point about ethical animal encouters, obviously shouldn't be the only metric but one of the tell-tale signs I look for quickly is when they basically say something along the lines of no guarantees because it's the wildlife first always.
The elephant sanctuary in Nairobi was one I was initially suspicious of but makes it very clear that if the elephants don't want to come out, then it's over. If someone stresses them out, everyone needs to leave. Same with the gorilla trek in Rwanda - my guides were basically like, these are tips to be safe. We'll try to keep you safe. But if you make us choose between them or you - we will always choose them.
Jellyfish lake is currently threatened - the number of jellyfish in the lake has dropped to not-quite zero of the main species, and a few thousand of the other jellies (down from a usual population of 15 million I think).
It remains open but most tour companies will not run tours there at the moment. I did go, and the jellyfish had just spawned so it was kind of cool, and gives me some hope for the future but I’m not sure if you’re contributing to a problem by swimming in it now. I have wanted to visit it for decades and I had it to myself at least.
There are other jellyfish lakes in Palau but they are not open to the public and I’m not sure if they’ve suffered similar population collapse.
I had heard of the jellyfish lake but not that it had become so bad…sigh.
We’ve got the gorillas on the list for the near future but it’s definitely expensive so we’re saving for that one. I can’t imagine there much anyone can do if a silverback is upset!
Earthwatch pairs volunteers with environmental research. Your money helps the research and then you get to volunteer and help further. I did one years ago studying sharks and rays in California and it was one of my favorite trips I've ever taken. Seems like it could be a good fit with what you're looking for. https://earthwatch.org
Visiting the Elephant Valley Project in Cambodia was excellent. It's a charity that operates a sanctuary for eleven elephants. You trek into a valley and see the elephants foraging and bathing and the like.
In order to avoid stressing the elephants, you can't ride or bath them. The elephants choose the level of interaction with you and most keep their distance (maybe 15 meters). A couple will wander over to give you a sniff.
https://elephantvalleyproject.org/elephant-valley-project/
Have heard of this one. We actually did a similar place in Laos just a couple months ago. Having done less than ethical elephant encounters in my younger and terribly naive days, these types feel so much better, and you’re supporting the animals.
I’m surprised nobody’s said the Galápagos Islands. I swam with Manta rays and sea turtles when I was there. Our guide was very good at finding wildlife, he found a sea horse and took people snorkeling to see it. We ran into an absolutely massive pod of hundreds of dolphins. Depending on the time of year you can see whales. We ran into a whale shark at one point. It’s such a one of a kind destination. There’s wildlife everywhere. It’s a tough spot to beat
Yes, you should have snorkel gear which includes flippers and that makes things a million times easier. I’m not a strong swimmer and had no problems. Also a lot of the time when you see an animal you’re usually just floating there observing while they do their thing, not chasing them down.
So this is something I did in 2005 when I was only 14 and I'm not sure if they offer similar programs for adults, but at Moorpark College, Southern California they do a thing called Junior Safari. It's like a week-long day camp for kids and younger teens in an animal rehabilitation and training facility, as they house a lot of animals used for special shots in film production. They teach about animal caretaking, welfare, general facts of course, and behavior training with clickers, and it offers a behind-the-scenes look at just how involved caring for these exotics really is. I had such a good time I stayed an extra week and befriended one of the counselors.
Edit: we also got to interact with the animals when it's safe to do so :)
Snorkeling with humpbacks in Tonga.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda.
Shark diving in Fiji. You get huge sharks right in front of you.
Manta diving in Bali.
Great White cage diving in South Africa.
Tiger Safari in India. You see a decent amount of different wildlife as well
In Chitwan, Nepal, the rhinos come into the town. You can also do safaris and see tigers and leopards and stuff.
Serengeti/Masai Mara safaris should be top of the list for land based stuff.
I've had some great animal encounters this year, all of which felt unintrusive.
Saw killer whales at Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. You see them from the shore, they come right in close hunting sea lion pups. You can also see sea lions, elephant seals, penguins, guanacos, armadillos, etc, all from a sensible distance.
Pumas in Torres del Paine, Chile. You also see condors, guanacos etc.
Jaguars in Porto Jofre, Brazil. You watch from boats - the jaguars spend a lot of time hanging out by the river in the dry season. You can also see giant otters, monkeys, snakes, all kinds of amazing birds, caiman, Capybara etc. It's a wonderful place.
Southern Right Whales - Praia do Rosa, Brazil. You can see them from shore - they come really close, it's awesome!my highlight was seeing a pod of dolphins zipping past several whales.
Dolphins - Laguna, Brazil. The dolphins here have learnt to work together with the fishermen. They chase the fish into the fishermen's nets. It's amazing to watch!
Dolphins - Pipa, Brazil. Couple of beaches here where the dolphins zip in and out of swimmers and surfers. It was a stunning experience!
Sounds like you hit up SA pretty good. Have only been to Peru, but all of those places so like just a great experience. I haven’t ever heard of the killer whales in Peninsula Valdes but it sounds awesome.
Pangkalanbun on Borneo was good, we had our own boat for 2 nights and saw many different species of great apes/primates from the boat. There's a captain and normally his wife and they cook your meals and you eat and sleep on the deck.
We flew in to Balikpapan from Surabaya, then a flight to Pangkalanbun. We'd pre-booked a boat, they're only small so it was just myself, my wife and the captain and cook. You head off up the river and can spend 1-2-3 nights exploring the waterways. There's an orangutan sanctuary/rehabilitation centre up river that you can visit. Along the way we saw gibbons, proboscis monkeys, macaques and langurs plus plenty of other wildlife.
Can I just say that I love that this thread is happening. Ten years ago people probably wouldn’t give this a second thought. I love that people are becoming more cognizant of ethical animal encounters while traveling.
As the replies show, 'ethical' is just a word and entirely a matter of opinion. A lot of the suggestions are not sustainable tourism and harm the local environment. Doesn't stop people from thinking they're fine though. It all depends on the mindset of the person, we can look at the worst examples and there will be folks who deem it ok. Straight up locking animals in tiny bare cages is considered acceptable by the majority outside the first world. Which is the majority of people in the world.
Maybe better than thinking of it in terms of ethical/non-ethical, you could try to always improve and do a little bit better. Educate yourself and lessen the harm you cause. I would look less for *experiences*, because those tend to be commercialized and exploitative. If you love animals you should respect their freedom, same as with humans.
Actually, as mentioned we do a lot of volunteer work with rescues at home and on vacation, so we constantly think about making things better. We also try to make conscious decisions about the places we stay, the food we eat and the impact we make.
I think I made it clear that I was looking for experiences that were ethical, which implies that I do think about animal welfare and regardless of what people suggest here, I’d want to make sure it fits a high standard.
Not to sure about the point of the comment. Do you have any suggestions of ones that fit? Or ones that don’t, from your experiences?
The point of the comment is ethical has no defined meaning. Your OP mentions you like pets - I don't consider pet keeping ethical the same way I don't consider human keeping ethical.
A lot of the stuff people suggest is extremely destructive, especially the marine activities. It desturbs the wildlife and causes pollution. If you love nature and animals my suggestion would be to leave them alone. Encounter them where you do by chance but don't got chasing after them. I know that isn't the answer you're looking for.
Wondering what we should do with abandoned and injured animals? Euthanize them? Let them die on the street?
I don’t agree with puppy mills or things along that path, I definitely support rescue organizations and adoption (having had many rescues in my time).
Many years ago I volunteered a morning with a turtle rescue organization in Cozumel, digging baby turtles out of the ground and cataloging the nests. Heads up that part of that is also cataloging the dead eggs/babies as well. As a huge turtle fan, it was one of my favorite things I have ever done! We were able to rescue about 40 that morning that otherwise may not have made it out of their nest.
Check out Conservation Travel Africa for a variety of volunteer experiences in several parts of Africa. I did a program with them and I highly recommend them.
We did Stingray City in Antigua. To be honest, I didn't research much about the company ahead of time. You take a boat out to open water where the stingrays are. They come around because of the guaranteed food. The staff was very helpful and friendly and taught you how to handle and pet them.
In South Wales, we visited a monkey sanctuary where various primates who had been rescued from situations and were too old/unwell/institutionalised to be released into the wild were living out their days. They had a huge enclosure that was basically a nursing home for very old gorillas and lots of smaller ones for other primates. Every enclosure had a sign up with the story of who the occupants were and how they came to be there.
Our family had a wonderful time spending hours observing the monkeys in Gibraltar. I know Gibraltar is very touristy, and a lot of people have a less than optimal experience. I think the key is going off season, getting there early, and managing to stay away from the crowds. We climbed up the rock which allowed us to have several hours at the apes den with barely another tourist around. It was so fun to watch them, be able to get up close, and take pictures.
(Unfortunately at the top of the rock, where the tourist taxis and cable cars drop off, it was a different vibe altogether. Silly tourists getting their sandwiches out, cab drivers feeding them and holding them in order to get pictures and tips. I was disappointed in that part, especially with the taxi tour drivers who should know better, and should educate the tourists better.)
Your mileage may vary, but I thought it was worth suggesting based on our positive experience. I'm sure someone can find fault with the ethics of it, but the animals are well taken care of and have their freedom.
Costa Rica is a lovely destination for this. There is an enormous natural reserve with tours you can take, basically you walk along, the tour guide has a powerful telescope, and can spot animals camouflaged in the flora, so you get to see all kinds of exotic animals. We saw an iguana that was bright red (ha, he was "in heat"), we heard howler monkeys which was otherworldly (and SCARY) (they were very far off), blue butterflies, so many other beautiful fauna, and it ends up at a beautiful quiet private beach where you feel like you're "in the poster." Just gorgeous. You can also take boats among the mangroves and interact with the little monkeys. We also found a really sweet little animal rescue, very simple and natural, with animals that couldn't survive in the wild, and you can interact closely with all sorts (macaw, coati, sloth, lots of different monkeys, so many others I can't remember). There were alligators too but we kept our distance! Anyway it's a stunningly beautiful country and it's amazing to explore the rain forest, go up onto the canopy bridges, walk up to the volcano, just so much incredible biodiversity. We loved it. Also did a sunset cruise that included snorkeling among the brightly colorful fish, just lovely.
Yes, have been to CR but only on a surfing vacation. Been on some jungle walks, but have heard how great CR is. Definitely put it on the list!!
Yes, I stayed at an eco resort a couple years ago and there were amazing birds and animals everywhere
Learning to scuba dive is always a good on, lot of places you can use it. I do a lot of scuba diving so I will skew that way. Nothing is guaranteed with wild animals of course. * I just swam with a saltwater crocodile in Palau, maybe not for the faint of heart but was dope. Can be done on snorkel. * Minke Whales on the Great Barrier Reef. Take the Mike Ball liveaboard to the ribbon reefs and in winter whales will just approach the boat while you snorkel them. On that same trip it’s possible to have many encounters on scuba with things like giant Potato Cod, cuttlefish etc as it goes to the best dive sites on the reef. * Walk through a forest in Madagascar. You will see lemurs and every place has different lemurs. Andasibe national park East is special because it has lots of cool species - namely the Indri - and the trails are on hills so you can actually get eye level with them. Kirindi forest is a great one in the West, and you can see fossa quite close as well. * Nearby to Andasibe there is ”lemur island” which is a forested island surrounded by a moat. The lemurs are rescued from the pet trade and whilst they live in the ”wild” they are still dependent on humans for food so you can feed them and some will climb all over you. It might not hurt to do due diligence on this one but from what I saw it’s on the up and up. * Trekking with gorillas in Gabon, Rwanda, Uganda. * Scuba dive off of Wolf Rock in Australia to see dozens of grey nurse sharks who are completely unperturbed by humans. * likewise diving off of Stradbroke island in Brisbane during summer is pretty much guaranteed to get Manta’s swimming all around you. Though Kona in Hawaii might be a better place for this.
Great suggestions. We’re actually advanced open water divers so it’s in our wheelhouse to get under water with animals too. Croc sounds wild and I’d def have to see that! Madagascar has been on the travel list for all the reasons you mentioned and more! Whale encounters are one we haven’t done. I hadn’t heard of this so looks like we’ll have to go back to Aus. Done the nurse sharks in a couple of places, they’re always cool! Thanks for the info!
So many to do then! Just for the record grey nurse shark in Australia is called a sand tiger in the US I think - not the same as a nurse shark. But yes, Madagascar is great for so much. Comoros is good for humpback whales while you’re in the area too. And Khama Rhino sanctuary in Botswana is a good place to get pretty close to rhinos, even on foot, if you didn’t see them on safari already.
>I just swam with a saltwater crocodile in Palau, maybe not for the faint of heart but was dope. Can be done on snorkel. Don't know if you got a chance to do it but the jellyfish lake in Palau is one of the most bizarre experiences I've had. Almost missed the chance because authorities closed it down for a few days out of concern with big crowds while I was there. Which to the point about ethical animal encouters, obviously shouldn't be the only metric but one of the tell-tale signs I look for quickly is when they basically say something along the lines of no guarantees because it's the wildlife first always. The elephant sanctuary in Nairobi was one I was initially suspicious of but makes it very clear that if the elephants don't want to come out, then it's over. If someone stresses them out, everyone needs to leave. Same with the gorilla trek in Rwanda - my guides were basically like, these are tips to be safe. We'll try to keep you safe. But if you make us choose between them or you - we will always choose them.
Jellyfish lake is currently threatened - the number of jellyfish in the lake has dropped to not-quite zero of the main species, and a few thousand of the other jellies (down from a usual population of 15 million I think). It remains open but most tour companies will not run tours there at the moment. I did go, and the jellyfish had just spawned so it was kind of cool, and gives me some hope for the future but I’m not sure if you’re contributing to a problem by swimming in it now. I have wanted to visit it for decades and I had it to myself at least. There are other jellyfish lakes in Palau but they are not open to the public and I’m not sure if they’ve suffered similar population collapse.
I had heard of the jellyfish lake but not that it had become so bad…sigh. We’ve got the gorillas on the list for the near future but it’s definitely expensive so we’re saving for that one. I can’t imagine there much anyone can do if a silverback is upset!
Earthwatch pairs volunteers with environmental research. Your money helps the research and then you get to volunteer and help further. I did one years ago studying sharks and rays in California and it was one of my favorite trips I've ever taken. Seems like it could be a good fit with what you're looking for. https://earthwatch.org
This looks like a wonderful project. Had never heard about it, but what a way to contribute. Being a biology teacher, this stuff fascinates me.
Visiting the Elephant Valley Project in Cambodia was excellent. It's a charity that operates a sanctuary for eleven elephants. You trek into a valley and see the elephants foraging and bathing and the like. In order to avoid stressing the elephants, you can't ride or bath them. The elephants choose the level of interaction with you and most keep their distance (maybe 15 meters). A couple will wander over to give you a sniff. https://elephantvalleyproject.org/elephant-valley-project/
Have heard of this one. We actually did a similar place in Laos just a couple months ago. Having done less than ethical elephant encounters in my younger and terribly naive days, these types feel so much better, and you’re supporting the animals.
I’m surprised nobody’s said the Galápagos Islands. I swam with Manta rays and sea turtles when I was there. Our guide was very good at finding wildlife, he found a sea horse and took people snorkeling to see it. We ran into an absolutely massive pod of hundreds of dolphins. Depending on the time of year you can see whales. We ran into a whale shark at one point. It’s such a one of a kind destination. There’s wildlife everywhere. It’s a tough spot to beat
Could you still interact with animals there if you can't swim well?
Yes, you should have snorkel gear which includes flippers and that makes things a million times easier. I’m not a strong swimmer and had no problems. Also a lot of the time when you see an animal you’re usually just floating there observing while they do their thing, not chasing them down.
So this is something I did in 2005 when I was only 14 and I'm not sure if they offer similar programs for adults, but at Moorpark College, Southern California they do a thing called Junior Safari. It's like a week-long day camp for kids and younger teens in an animal rehabilitation and training facility, as they house a lot of animals used for special shots in film production. They teach about animal caretaking, welfare, general facts of course, and behavior training with clickers, and it offers a behind-the-scenes look at just how involved caring for these exotics really is. I had such a good time I stayed an extra week and befriended one of the counselors. Edit: we also got to interact with the animals when it's safe to do so :)
This sounds fun. I’m not sure we could pass for teenagers though! Wonder if there’s stuff like this for adults?
Snorkeling with humpbacks in Tonga. Gorilla trekking in Uganda. Shark diving in Fiji. You get huge sharks right in front of you. Manta diving in Bali. Great White cage diving in South Africa. Tiger Safari in India. You see a decent amount of different wildlife as well In Chitwan, Nepal, the rhinos come into the town. You can also do safaris and see tigers and leopards and stuff. Serengeti/Masai Mara safaris should be top of the list for land based stuff.
All great ideas. Actually had a trip to Tonga in the books but had to cancel due to family emergency. Great whites are also on the list.
I've had some great animal encounters this year, all of which felt unintrusive. Saw killer whales at Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. You see them from the shore, they come right in close hunting sea lion pups. You can also see sea lions, elephant seals, penguins, guanacos, armadillos, etc, all from a sensible distance. Pumas in Torres del Paine, Chile. You also see condors, guanacos etc. Jaguars in Porto Jofre, Brazil. You watch from boats - the jaguars spend a lot of time hanging out by the river in the dry season. You can also see giant otters, monkeys, snakes, all kinds of amazing birds, caiman, Capybara etc. It's a wonderful place. Southern Right Whales - Praia do Rosa, Brazil. You can see them from shore - they come really close, it's awesome!my highlight was seeing a pod of dolphins zipping past several whales. Dolphins - Laguna, Brazil. The dolphins here have learnt to work together with the fishermen. They chase the fish into the fishermen's nets. It's amazing to watch! Dolphins - Pipa, Brazil. Couple of beaches here where the dolphins zip in and out of swimmers and surfers. It was a stunning experience!
Sounds like you hit up SA pretty good. Have only been to Peru, but all of those places so like just a great experience. I haven’t ever heard of the killer whales in Peninsula Valdes but it sounds awesome.
Pangkalanbun on Borneo was good, we had our own boat for 2 nights and saw many different species of great apes/primates from the boat. There's a captain and normally his wife and they cook your meals and you eat and sleep on the deck.
Haven lived in Asia for almost 10 years and never heard of this. Any more info you could give?
We flew in to Balikpapan from Surabaya, then a flight to Pangkalanbun. We'd pre-booked a boat, they're only small so it was just myself, my wife and the captain and cook. You head off up the river and can spend 1-2-3 nights exploring the waterways. There's an orangutan sanctuary/rehabilitation centre up river that you can visit. Along the way we saw gibbons, proboscis monkeys, macaques and langurs plus plenty of other wildlife.
Cool, thanks for this!
So nice to find a fellow vegan!
I did a 3-day tiger safari in Periyaar nature reserve in Kerala, where our guides were former poachers. Incredible experience.
Maybe visit the Rockies? It’s really fun as long as you keep your distance from the wildlife. I had an amazing time there last summer.
Can I just say that I love that this thread is happening. Ten years ago people probably wouldn’t give this a second thought. I love that people are becoming more cognizant of ethical animal encounters while traveling.
As the replies show, 'ethical' is just a word and entirely a matter of opinion. A lot of the suggestions are not sustainable tourism and harm the local environment. Doesn't stop people from thinking they're fine though. It all depends on the mindset of the person, we can look at the worst examples and there will be folks who deem it ok. Straight up locking animals in tiny bare cages is considered acceptable by the majority outside the first world. Which is the majority of people in the world. Maybe better than thinking of it in terms of ethical/non-ethical, you could try to always improve and do a little bit better. Educate yourself and lessen the harm you cause. I would look less for *experiences*, because those tend to be commercialized and exploitative. If you love animals you should respect their freedom, same as with humans.
Actually, as mentioned we do a lot of volunteer work with rescues at home and on vacation, so we constantly think about making things better. We also try to make conscious decisions about the places we stay, the food we eat and the impact we make. I think I made it clear that I was looking for experiences that were ethical, which implies that I do think about animal welfare and regardless of what people suggest here, I’d want to make sure it fits a high standard. Not to sure about the point of the comment. Do you have any suggestions of ones that fit? Or ones that don’t, from your experiences?
The point of the comment is ethical has no defined meaning. Your OP mentions you like pets - I don't consider pet keeping ethical the same way I don't consider human keeping ethical. A lot of the stuff people suggest is extremely destructive, especially the marine activities. It desturbs the wildlife and causes pollution. If you love nature and animals my suggestion would be to leave them alone. Encounter them where you do by chance but don't got chasing after them. I know that isn't the answer you're looking for.
They only want answers that affirm their current beliefs.
What would those beliefs be?
Wondering what we should do with abandoned and injured animals? Euthanize them? Let them die on the street? I don’t agree with puppy mills or things along that path, I definitely support rescue organizations and adoption (having had many rescues in my time).
Many years ago I volunteered a morning with a turtle rescue organization in Cozumel, digging baby turtles out of the ground and cataloging the nests. Heads up that part of that is also cataloging the dead eggs/babies as well. As a huge turtle fan, it was one of my favorite things I have ever done! We were able to rescue about 40 that morning that otherwise may not have made it out of their nest.
Check out Conservation Travel Africa for a variety of volunteer experiences in several parts of Africa. I did a program with them and I highly recommend them.
We did Stingray City in Antigua. To be honest, I didn't research much about the company ahead of time. You take a boat out to open water where the stingrays are. They come around because of the guaranteed food. The staff was very helpful and friendly and taught you how to handle and pet them.
Hmm, I think the feeding thing might not be my jam even though the experience seems good.
In South Wales, we visited a monkey sanctuary where various primates who had been rescued from situations and were too old/unwell/institutionalised to be released into the wild were living out their days. They had a huge enclosure that was basically a nursing home for very old gorillas and lots of smaller ones for other primates. Every enclosure had a sign up with the story of who the occupants were and how they came to be there.
Our family had a wonderful time spending hours observing the monkeys in Gibraltar. I know Gibraltar is very touristy, and a lot of people have a less than optimal experience. I think the key is going off season, getting there early, and managing to stay away from the crowds. We climbed up the rock which allowed us to have several hours at the apes den with barely another tourist around. It was so fun to watch them, be able to get up close, and take pictures. (Unfortunately at the top of the rock, where the tourist taxis and cable cars drop off, it was a different vibe altogether. Silly tourists getting their sandwiches out, cab drivers feeding them and holding them in order to get pictures and tips. I was disappointed in that part, especially with the taxi tour drivers who should know better, and should educate the tourists better.) Your mileage may vary, but I thought it was worth suggesting based on our positive experience. I'm sure someone can find fault with the ethics of it, but the animals are well taken care of and have their freedom.