A Guide To Ethical Wildlife Photography
Wildlife photographers all have one thing in common: a deep love and respect for nature. We have more tools and gadgets available to us now than ever before and with that more responsibility. It is important that we are always asking ourselves if what we are doing is negatively impacting the animals we are shooting.
After scouring the web for some guidance, I have come up with some tips to ensure that we are capturing our wildlife images ethically.
Geotag responsibly. Before sharing exactly where you found an animal, think about the attention this will bring to that animal. It is best to keep geotags fairly broad, and use your best judgement when sharing the exact location with others.
Do not disturb the animals by getting unnecessarily close to them. When possible, use zoom lenses.
Avoid using low flying drones to photograph wildlife. There is a lot of debate about the use of drones around animals, and I am certainly no expert, but we’ve all seen the video of the bear cub running up the mountain to his mom. This was captured with a drone, and the bears were distressed and trying to escape it. If the animals seem distressed or aware of your drone, you should back it off.
Never chase or corner an animal. If they are actively trying to get away from you, then it wasn’t meant to be. You are there to watch and observe from a respectful distance, not to interact with them or alter their behavior.
Along those same lines, do not bait or feed wildlife. This habituates them to humans, and they could interact with the wrong person next time and get themselves into trouble.
Never get in between a mom and her babies. This is bad for you, and bad for the animals. Depending on the species, separating an animal family could result in injury to you. It also could result in the mom abandoning her young out of fear.
Don’t go onto private property or into restricted areas without permission. This one seems like it doesn’t need an explanation.
When photographing captive wildlife, pay close attention to the legitimacy of the facility you are visiting. Know the difference between legitimate zoos/sanctuaries and roadside attractions.
Please share any other ethical photography tips you might have in the comments below!
