Ethical wildlife watching on a 5-day trip

The single most important choice is to watch elephants in the wild. Sri Lanka's national parks, especially Udawalawe and, in season, Minneriya and Kaudulla, offer superb sightings from a jeep. Riding elephants, bathing with them or watching them perform involves training and captivity that cause them harm.

The Elephant Transit Home at Udawalawe, which raises orphaned calves for release to the wild and allows no contact, is generally considered a responsible option. Pinnawala and private elephant attractions have faced criticism over the years.

Wild elephants sometimes stand by roads, especially near Habarana, Sigiriya and Udawalawe, waiting for food. Never feed them; it teaches them to approach vehicles and leads to conflict.

In busy parks, especially Yala's Block 1, many jeeps can gather around a sighting. Ask your driver to keep a respectful distance, turn off the engine when stopped, stay on the tracks and not race between sightings or block an animal's path.

Keep voices low and stay seated. Do not throw food or litter, and take all rubbish out of the park. Choose an operator with a reputation for good conduct, even if it costs a little more.

Lankan Stays & Trails briefs its safari partners on these expectations and chooses drivers who follow them.

Whale watching off Mirissa and Trincomalee can be wonderful, but too many boats too close cause stress. Choose an operator that keeps a distance from whales, approaches from the side rather than head-on, limits time with each animal and does not chase.

Ask questions before booking: how close do they go, how many boats do they run, do they follow guidelines? A reputable operator will answer clearly.

Several turtle hatcheries operate along the south and west coasts. Some do genuine conservation, collecting eggs at risk and releasing hatchlings at night soon after they hatch. Others keep hatchlings or adults in tanks for display and let visitors handle them, which harms the animals.

Choose a hatchery that releases hatchlings promptly, does not allow handling and does not keep adults in small tanks. Better still, watch wild turtles nesting at Rekawa with community rangers, without torches or flash.

On beaches, never approach nesting turtles closely, shine lights at them or disturb tracks and nests.

Monkeys at temples and viewpoints are often fed by visitors, which makes them bold and sometimes aggressive. Do not feed them, keep food out of sight and hold bags firmly.

Avoid souvenirs made from shells, coral, turtle shell, ivory or other wildlife products. Avoid photographs with captive animals, such as snakes or slow lorises, offered on beaches and streets.

Small choices on a short trip add up, because millions of visitors make them.

On a five-day route, ethical choices rarely cost time. An afternoon elephant drive at Minneriya replaces an elephant ride; Rekawa's turtle watch replaces a tank hatchery; a reputable whale operator leaves from the same harbour as the others.

When booking, tell your operator or driver that responsible wildlife watching matters to you. Most will respect that and plan accordingly.

Paying park fees, hiring local guides and staying in lodges that employ people from nearby villages also matter. Communities that earn a living from wildlife tourism have a strong reason to protect the animals, which is one of the best arguments for visiting at all.