Angofa Wildlife Tours protecting the Transylvanian ecosystem
Angofa Wildlife Tours is a new initiative designed to develop rural wildlife tourism in Transylvania to support long-term biodiversity monitoring and conservation efforts alongside local communities within the Tarnava Mare Natura 2000 zone. This zone protects over 890 square kilometers of natural habitats and traditional agricultural areas surrounding the Tarnava Mare river. Several villages within this zone are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites, which puts Tarnava Mare on the map as a potential future Biosphere Reserve, where natural areas are formally protected alongside traditional agricultural zones. Angofa Wildlife Tours was launched through a partnership between Friends of Wallacea, a global tour agency focused on partnering with rural communities to protect wildlife through tourism, and Fundatia ADEPT, a Romanian NGO that promotes traditional Transylvanian agricultural practices that maintain local biodiversity.
This business aims to provide new tour options that differ from existing cultural excursions to both divert income into rural areas that are critical to conservation and to diversify Transylvania’s tourism offerings. The company offers a variety of day tours out of this research centre, including nightly bear ‘safaris,’ birdwatching, and traditional dinners with lectures about local wildlife conservation. Income from tourism at Angofa enables us to hire local hunters and scientists to track and monitor wildlife, shifting perspectives toward seeing animals as collaborators rather than enemies.
Why is this case a good example of linking tourism and conservation?
Are there plans to further improve this example of tourism supporting conservation in the future?
How could this example be transferred to another protected area and knowledge be shared?
