🦊 Wildlife Safety Photography Tip from #CanonExplorerOfLight @charlesglatzer | “I’m often asked: Are we allowed to go on the field to photograph wildlife? The answer is yes—as long as you obey distance boundaries and don’t alter an animal’s behavior. Visitors are required to keep a distance of at least 100 yards from predators like bears and wolves, and 25 yards from any other wildlife, like nesting birds. When going into a field, a problem may arise if someone sees you from a distance, as it is often hard to judge how close one is to an animal when hundreds of yards away–especially if being viewed through a telephoto lens. What is considered “altering” an animal’s behavior? It’s often subjective, and although a ranger’s interpretation may differ from yours and their enforcement is discretionary, it is always prudent to understand the welfare of the animal is top priority.
This winter, while I was in the field photographing a mousing red fox, it changed direction and started walking towards me. If I moved, I surely would have altered the animal’s behavior and ruined everyone else’s images, but the rule states we must retreat in order to maintain 25 yards between the wildlife and ourselves. I certainly didn’t want the animal to become further habituated to humans than it already has, and so I retreated.
As photographers, we must remain stewards for the wildlife, including by teaching people to respect the animals and the environment in which they live through our own actions afield.”
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