Up close with wildlife, but is it right?

As safari travel picks up pace, issues such as conservation goals and exploitation of animals under the guise of tourism take the spotlight

- Sarah Stanley

Coming face to face with a wild cat was never on my bucket list. But in 2016, I found myself in a safari park in the city of Roodepoort, South Africa, ticking it off anyway.

As part of a wildlife experience package, I was ushered into a small open-air enclosure with three free-roaming lion cubs and a large rock structure where visitors could pose for photos.

I was asked to sit on the rock and it took all of one minute for a cub to wander over and rest next to me, paw on my lap.

I instinctively pulled out my mobile phone to snap selfies before local keepers and a photographer, observing nearby, offered to take more.

That moment is now immortalised as a photo magnet on my fridge - irrefutable proof that I once cosied up to a real lion (cub). Exciting as it was, it is an experience I doubt I will repeat.

In the years since, cub petting has come under intense scrutiny, widely criticised for its ethical implications. Many wildlife organisations now prohibit such practices and, today, it would be hard to find a reputable establishment that allows it.

Furthermore, while the proximity to such untamed wildlife was close enough to stir awe, it also stirred something less comfortable in me - a sense of unease. Until then, I had seen these animals only through barriers - behind zoo enclosures or on television, prowling through savannahs and stalking prey.

So, yes, it was a thrill. But it was also strange, almost jarring, to have a wild cat resting on my lap while local staff enthusiastically suggested ways to pose.

Fast forward to 2025. During a two-night stay in June at the newly opened Monarto Safari Resort in Monarto Safari Park in Adelaide, I take in the sweeping view of the park's grassy plains from my balcony.

Just beyond the fence separating the resort from the park - the largest open-range wildlife experience outside Africa - giraffes browse on tall trees and zebras gather around a watering hole.