By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, March 29: Comfortable accommodation in a natural setting where animals thrive and can be easily spotted is essential to making Sarawak a world-class eco-tourism centre.
According to Chen Rui, a zoologist at the Institute of Zoology of China who is also the leader of the Paleo Diary Science Team, accommodation in an eco-tourism destination should not be surrounded by artificial and man-made features.
Similarly, in an eco-tourism destination, accommodation should also not be made up by rundown buildings which are not conducive for tourism.
“My suggestion is to build comfortable accommodation in a natural setting with proper protective boundaries so that the tourists may be able to spot animals while enjoying air-conditioning or while having meals inside the building.
“And when they leave the building, they are able to spot many wildlife.bOnly with places like that can Sarawak become (among) the world’s best eco-tourism destinations,” said Chen during a press conference at the Sarawak Tourism Board office here today.
He said this when asked by the media about which aspects Sarawak should improve to be an eco-tourism destination.
Chen said to make eco-tourism a success in Sarawak, a certain distance must be kept between man and animals.
He explained that the co-existence between man and animals has always been an issue and to him, the relationship should neither be a “leftist” or “rightist” view.
Those upholding “leftist” view, he said, believe that man should leave animals alone by staying away from them and not having anything to do with them, while those holding the “rightist” view will hunt and poach the animals to their extinction.
“A proper distance should be kept between man and animals such as a buffer territory, I think, so that animals will not be fearful of man while man finds them to be adorable. Only then we can create awareness on animal protection and preservation where man and animals can co-exist,” said Chen.
Man should make efforts to create sanctuaries for animals by providing water and food which, he said, would gradually attract more wildlife to congregate there before it can be turned into a eco-tourism destination.
“Through such effort, we can properly define the relationship between man and animals,” said Chen.
He also opined Sarawak should emphasise more on strengthening its eco-tourism assets and facilities as what Sarawak can offer the world is unique, which nowhere else in the world has. — DayakDaily
