Humans and animals have developed multiple and complex interactions in the fields of tourism, leisure, and development. However, much of the existing research on how humans and animals interact in these fields has emerged from within the context of developed countries. As a result, little has been documented about human-animal interactions in the socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental contexts of countries in the Global South. Specifically, the diversity and complexity of interspecies relationships in tourism, leisure, and local development in Latin America have been largely ignored in Anglo-Saxon literature. This has resulted in a limited, partial, and hegemonic understanding and debate about human-animal relationships globally, dominated by certain regions of the world. This book addresses this gap by documenting multiple and complex relationships between humans and animals in the fields of tourism, leisure, and local development in countries in Latin America. The book: Brings together empirical and conceptual works that reveal different disciplinary, theoretical, ethical, methodological, and practical perspectives. Reveals how human-animal relationships - both domestic and wild - can result in co-created interspecies experiences, conflicts, conservation efforts, welfare, and local development of human societies in the region. Equips stakeholders with conceptual frameworks and actionable tools to formulate policies that blend animal welfare and sustainability in Latin American tourism and recreation strategies. Challenges dominant narratives from the Global North regarding tourism and conservation, promoting a more inclusive and nuanced approach. This book will be of interest to researchers, professionals and policymakers within tourism, leisure, animal welfare, conservation and destination development.

Contributions by: Natalia Balzaretti Merino, S. Pelayo Benavides, Myrna Leticia Bravo Olivas, Ludger Brenner, Ivonne Cassaigne, Rosa Maria Chávez-Dagostino, Katherine Dashper, J. Antonio de la Torre, Marcos Díaz Videla, Yancen Diemberger, Iyari Janethzy Espinoza-Rodríguez, Luisa Amador Fanaro, Claudia Galicia-Castillo, Mariela García-Sánchez, Siavash Ghoddousi, Lara Ailton, Xavier López-Medellín, Ezequiel Lovera Rojas, Octavio Iván Martínez Vaca-León, Rodrigo A. Medellin, Alberto Mellado, Carlos Monterrubio, Ricardo Adrián Ojeda-Adame, Edi Alves de Oliveira Neto, David Ricardo Ortiz-Ramírez, Andrés Ried, Bernal Rodríguez Herrera, Valeria Berenice Salinas-Ramos,, Natalie T Schmitt, Helen Wadham, Alinka Vanessa Olea y Wagner