The Importance of Distance
Bison in an early snow, September 2017.
What makes a visit to a National Park special? Is it the beautiful vistas? Abundant outdoor opportunities? An escape from the office? For us, it's all of the above, but as photographers we especially enjoy the ability to view wildlife up close in their natural habitat.
There's been a number of reports in the news lately of unfortunate encounters between visitors and wildlife, so I think this is a really good time to remind everyone of a few things and offer some tips to help you and the people around you enjoy animals both in the wild and in conservation areas (game reserves and zoos).
In the Wild
Keep your distance! National parks have numerous signs and warnings about keeping your distance from all wildlife. They recommend a minimum distance of 25 yards for bison, elk, deer, etc. That distance should be greater if you encounter bears or wolves, somewhere around 100 yards. For best viewing, get yourself a spotting scope, a good pair of binoculars, or maybe a really nice Sigma 150-600 mm lens and get some quality photos while you're at it. Don't approach animals for a better picture. You're putting yourself and the people around you in danger by doing so. The photo you're trying to get for your Instagram followers is not as important as keeping yourself safe and respecting the animals.
A tourist gets a little too close to a wild bighorn in Jasper National Park in Alberta, August 2012
Be mobile. Wild animals are, well...wild! These days most animals are used to traffic and human presence in their territories, so they generally go about their business without much regard for us. If you have the opportunity to to be on the ground in areas where wildlife is present, keep that distance rule in mind and move with the animals to put that buffer between you. This is one of the big rules we make sure to follow when we are in Yellowstone. One morning we were along the banks of the Madison River watching a huge herd of bison forage for food after an early snow. We both had our 600 mm lenses on tripods and made sure that when the animals breached that buffer zone, we communicated with each other and moved appropriately. Since we both were packing pro gear, the folks around us also made sure to move and all of us were able to enjoy that quiet cold morning with bison in the snow without incident.
Keeping our distance in Yellowstone, September 2017.
It's not a petting zoo! This should really go without saying, but it apparently requires repeating. DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS and DON'T ATTEMPT TO PET THEM! It's that simple. Unless you're in a place that specifically has a petting zoo of domesticated animals, don't pet and don't feed. First of all, you begin to establish dependence on humans for food. This increases the level of comfort the animal has with getting close to people for sustenance. These encounters often end tragically for both parties as people are injured and the animal has to be put down. You can look at these encounters as poor examples of park visitors. Secondly, just enjoy the presence of the animals! If you have an urge to pet something, go find an animal shelter and adopt one in need.
Be prepared for encounters. If you're in the backcountry hiking, be prepared for a potential encounter with wildlife. It's best to travel in a group if possible to improve your chances (doesn't hurt to be the fastest in the group either). But in all seriousness, a larger group of people will appear more intimidating to an animal and will reduce the potential for an incident.
If you're in bear country, carry bear spray, know how and when to use it, and know how to react (See here for more tips). If you are lucky enough to see a wild bear from the roadside as we did in 2017 (right after we left the bison), make sure you keep your distance. If there's a ranger there, follow their instructions. The grizzly we encountered was far more interested in chowing on a carcass than any of us on the side of the road and there was no need for us to get any closer. It made that moment incredibly special.
Our first encounter with a grizzly from about a hundred yards in Yellowstone, September 2017.
Be quiet (most of the time). If you're viewing wildlife, stay quiet. Animals can be easily spooked by sudden or loud noises. Also, the people around you may not want to hear you chatting it up. They may be there to experience the quiet of the park. However, if you're hiking alone, it doesn't hurt to talk to yourself a bit to alert nearby animals of your presence. You may look like a crazy person if you come across other folks on the trail, but you're less likely to startle an animal off the trail with your sudden presence.
In Conservation Areas
Stay out, stay alive. This phrase is often used for abandoned mines, but I think it applies equally for zoos. Habitats at zoos are designed with buffer zones between you and the animals in captivity. It's there for a reason. Although these animals may appear friendly or docile or non-threatening, they are still wild creatures at heart and have a natural instinct to protect themselves if necessary. The recent footage from the Bronx Zoo of a young woman entering a lion enclosure was especially unnerving. Having been up close with a pride of lions in the Maasai Mara in Kenya, watching them kill and eat a wildebeest right in front of us, I have a profound respect for big cats. The look on lion's face did not appear to be one of acceptance of her presence and she is lucky to have walked out of there uninjured or worse. Her selfish actions put her in danger and could have caused the zoo to put down the lion had she been attacked. Not only that, other guests at the zoo would have had to bear witness to a gruesome attack, when all they wanted to do was enjoy a day at the zoo. The death of Harambe the gorilla is an unfortunate example of what could happen to these animals when we intrude upon their space. If you happen to be a bystander for an incident like this one, be courageous and stop that person without putting yourself in danger and alert authorities immediately.
The Last Word
Be a good steward. The whole point of national parks and wild spaces is to conserve the habitat and wildlife of an area. The natural beauty and chance to see animals up close draws millions of people to these places every year. It's easy for us to get excited about seeing these creatures, but too often we can be blinded by the opportunity to touch one or get a better picture for social media. But you're not the only person there to see and enjoy these places. Your actions can lead to dire consequences for you, the people around you, and the wild animals. It's pretty simple: follow the rules and no one gets hurt.
Cheers!