The animal’s behavior is the limit
A photograph is not worth forcing an animal to stop feeding, abandon cover, leave a resting place, or repeatedly move away. Start farther back than you think you need to, use optical zoom, and let the animal decide whether the encounter continues.
Use distance instead of pressure
- Stay on established trails and public viewing areas.
- Use binoculars or a telephoto lens instead of walking directly toward the animal.
- Back away if the animal freezes, alarms, changes direction, raises young, or focuses on you instead of normal behavior.
- Never surround wildlife with multiple photographers.
No baiting, chasing, or staged rescues
Food, calls, and movement can alter behavior and increase risk. Do not bait predators, throw food toward an animal, chase for a flight shot, handle wildlife for a photograph, or move an animal into a “better” background.
Nests and dens require extra privacy
Repeated visits can create a visible trail, attract other people, expose young animals, and increase predation. Photograph from a lawful distance, keep visits short, and avoid publishing exact coordinates. WildPins should automatically reduce the precision of sensitive public sightings.
Share the story honestly
Label captive animals, rehabilitation settings, reference images, and heavily edited composites. A generic species image should never be presented as the member’s original photograph. WildPins should show the sighting date separately from the date a reference image was created.