Many animal facilities offer close contact with wild animals, giving tourists and visitor’s close-up photo, feeding, and even petting opportunities, often for an additional fee. Facilities frequently claim that this fee goes directly to the upkeep of the animal and/or the conservation of the species. Unfortunately, many of these ‘close encounters’ animals are kept in poor conditions, fed an inadequate diet, and are sedated to ensure their compliance. In some cases, animals are regularly physically abused to keep them compliant. Species for close encounter opportunities may have also been obtained illegally, breaking both national and international laws. In spite of the facilities’ claims, there is often no evidence that any of profits or activities actually benefit species conservation. - See more at: http://right-tourism.com/issues/misleading-marketing/faux-sanctuaries/#sthash.BLyk4kj6.dpuf