In Perspective, Planet: Responsibility and Wildlife pictures!

Taking great pictures of wildlife is exciting. It's a thrill to be able to come home with the view of an animal that we'll always treasure. Likewise, it's great to find a rare plant of flower and show everyone the trophy.

Before you go out on any such venture, ask if yourself if you should be checking up on whether or not the activity harms the wild we want to celebrate.

Here's a case in point. When I was with Mike Spinak he shared with me a secret place where he'd discovered a rare plant that had flowered. I was impressed that Mike destroyed nothing around the plant and was careful not to leave anything that spoiled the place.

Do you take such care?

Asher

Just wanted to pass along an advice I received from a bird specialist, when looking for help to id some baby birds I had shot (I mean photographed!).

Quote: "nest photos and other activities that may lead to the bird either leaving the nest or being predated is actively discouraged".

Winston Mitchell said:

Lots of info...

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Winston,

This is so helpful!

I ready the PDF guidelines for the ABA. It warns against putting the birds at risk through disturbing them, getting too close or attracting them to an area of predators. If you feed them, continue to feed them in harsh weather.

So now, how does this apply to photographing other wild life and plants? Where are the guidelines?

Asher

Mike Spinak said:

Primum non nocere.

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Mike,

That's the first thing I learned in Medical School. Primum non nocere: The Latin words for medical admonition "First do no harm," of Hippocrates (ca. 460-ca.377 B.C.E).

Even as a physician, this precept is hard to obey as we learned that 50% of what we will be told should be therapeutic is going to need be corrected within our lifetime. It tuns out that most of what we were taught has held up but the delivery systems and options are far more elegant.

With nature, it's always the same issue: our involvement can endanger wildlife: plants, insects, animals and birds. Funny, each of us thinks we're so special that our own foot steps and approach will not of itself harm nature in any measurable way. However we do put tteir lives at risk in such simple ways.

In Krueger National park, baby monkeys, used to handouts all summer, can starve in the winter with a forrest of edible roots around them. Animals used to man, come too close and someone shoots them!

Asher