Jarred Jackman fractured three vertebrae in a fall after his rope mysteriously unclipped from his protection. A helmet (shattered) and a seven-hour rescue operation kept him alive.

As wildlife tourism grows, scientists are asking a bigger question: can we bring people closer to nature without reshaping the ecosystems they came to see?

Across the United States, exotic animals are being exploited. Some organizations call themselves sanctuaries, but actually profit from animals that should never have been captured and are bred in ...