Wildlife photography is a powerful tool to draw awareness to biodiversity and environmental conservation. It inspires us to develop a relationship with nature and serves as an educational resource. However, if a photographer is not careful, their actions can disrupt an animal’s ecosystem and natural behaviour such as resting, hunting, foraging, mating, and caring for their young. These disruptions can threaten an animal’s life. It is important to understand the ethics of wildlife photography and be respectful when capturing images of wild animals.

Putting wildlife first is the foundation of being an ethical wildlife photographer. Studying your subject, their natural history, habitat and behaviour in different circumstances will help you recognize signs of stress and discomfort. For instance, by learning the distress calls of various bird species, you’ll know when one is agitated. A bird acting aggressively indicates you are likely too close to their nest. A pacing fox, coyote or wolf may mean you need to walk away. Your wildlife knowledge is imperative to the animal: for you, it’s just a photo; for them, it’s their survival.