When Travelling at Home or Abroad

• Visit parks and nature reserves - visitor demand and tourist expenditure supports existing protected areas and can lead to the protection of additional wildlife. Get any necessary permits before visiting nature reserves or other protected areas. Leave these areas as you found them and do not disturb the wildlife there.

• View and photograph wildlife from a distance - Remember that in the optimal wildlife viewing experience, the animal never knows you are there. Suppress the natural temptation to move too close and respect signs of distress such as alarm calls, distraction displays, laid-back ears, and raised hair.

• Respect the environment - Stay on trails during hikes, do not remove plants or feed animals, and never litter. At the sea do not take any corals, shells, dried fish, starfish, sea-fans and other marine souvenirs - removal can seriously disrupt ecosystems. Navigation in reef water needs special care - do not anchor on reefs which can be easily damaged.

• Say "No" to Bad Souvenirs - Some souvenirs could end up costing a lot more than you paid for them. Think twice before you buy any products made from any endangered species, including animal hides and body parts, tortoise-shell, ivory, or coral - they could be illegal.

• Don’t take aliens with you - When travelling abroad, be sure that you do not take any food and plant matter home to Ireland. Food and other materials picked up overseas can carry pests or become invasive species themselves when bought to another environment. See the Alien Species section of the website for more information.