A Reddit thread has turned up something that’s near and dear to my heart: wildlife photography ethics. The post by NeedlesslyMike features an image of a person standing very close to a short-eared owl in flight. The accompanying text explains that said person was following the owl around, “nonstop chasing the bird from one end of the field to the other (...) The bird eventually got tired and sat in a tree,” whereby the photographer got “super close” to capture more images.
They rightly point out that while a situation like this might not appear to be causing direct harm to the animal, it can indirectly cause harm and, in some cases, death. If a bird has been recovering from an injury, prey has been in short supply, or weather conditions have prevented the animal from flying, a failed hunt can have far-reaching consequences. The stakes are even higher if it has young beaks to feed.
