Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments of global tourism, attracting millions of travelers annually and contributing significantly to conservation funding and wildlife protection. However, unsustainable tourism practices can also undermine conservation by disturbing animal behavior, degrading habitats, promoting unethical wildlife interactions, and encouraging commercialization of wildlife. This global review synthesizes evidence from over 120 peer-reviewed studies, conservation agency reports, and policy frameworks across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania. The review evaluates the ecological, economic, and sociocultural impacts of wildlife tourism and assesses models of ethical wildlife tourism and conservation governance.

Findings reveal that while wildlife tourism can generate substantial revenue for protected areas and local communities, ethical challenges—such as overcrowding in safari parks, unregulated nature-based attractions, animal exploitation, and anthropogenic stress—remain widespread. Successful ethical conservation models require community empowerment, strict visitor management, certification standards, and ecologically grounded tourism practices. The paper concludes with recommendations for policymakers, conservationists, and tourism operators to ensure that wildlife tourism supports, rather than harms, global biodiversity.