Why I photograph birds

[rtbaum]

http://m.koreus.com/video/wapiti-vs-photographe.html

[jamn4ex]

Randy I live 1 hour from that park. Because of the animals lack of fear from humans they had to put that animal down. I go and photograph those elk 3 or 4 times a year. AT that park the rangers want you to remain across the street from the Elk but the Elk sometimes cross back and forth . That man should have maintained a space, what bothers me most about the video is some one sat and filmed it without trying to honk the horn of his car, that young elk could have been easily scared away.

[Shadowman]

That was intense.

[rtbaum]

Randy I live 1 hour from that park. Because of the animals lack of fear from humans they had to put that animal down. I go and photograph those elk 3 or 4 times a year. AT that park the rangers want you to remain across the street from the Elk but the Elk sometimes cross back and forth . That man should have maintained a space, what bothers me most about the video is some one sat and filmed it without trying to honk the horn of his car, that young elk could have been easily scared away.

Yes, James, that is what struck me as well! Why the heck the others did not intervene. I have, over the years, experienced a lot of foolish behavior with man's interaction wildlife. The latest was about 3 years ago. I took a co-worker camping at a the headwaters of the Mississippi and we encountered a black bear defecating in the road, the co-worker jumped out the vehicle as I was contemplating the revelations to the old saw, "Does a bear sh** in the woods?" (apparently not). My co-worker decided to see if he could get close enough to pet the bear (second revelation, co-worker is a total moron!). Third revelation..........a couple tons of rapidly advancing RV apparently intimidates black bears.

[Saorsa]

He really should have put the rear lenscap on that telephoto before setting it down. Getting interior dust out of a lens is a tedious job.

[NorthernFocus]

Too many people think national parks and zoos are the same thing. It is astonishing that the people in the vehicle didn't roll forward and force the elk away. Or the guys taking the video. Even more astonishing is that the guy just sat there. You can see in the video he elk was getting more and more aggressive.

Unfortunately most people interpret the behavior of wild animals as if they are the family dog. If an animal approaches they think it wants to be patted on the head or something. Too many Walt Disney and discovery channel programs showing idyllic versions of nature in harmony. The reality is that animals deal with one another very violently. This behavior in the various deer species is how they test one another's strength. Even in benign sparring matches before the mating season, one will exert dominance and the other will eventually defer and walk away. In this situation the elk was getting the sense that it was stronger but the guy wasn't walking away like another elk would have done. Basically inviting it to get more and more aggressive.

When we encounter moose in our area, the young bulls are the ones we have to worry about. The large ones ignore you unless you approach them too closely or don't move off the trail for them. But the young ones will actually approach you and challenge you similar to the video. In areas where there isn't any hunting animals quickly lose their fear of people. Makes for great photo ops but can get dicey.

[chauncey]

To assume that mankind's ignorance has boundaries is somewhat naïve.

[NorthernFocus]

To assume that mankind's ignorance has boundaries is somewhat naïve.

Ignorance is simply lack of knowledge which is understandable. But in the video, the knowledge gap had clearly been filled when the animal made first contact. From that point it is stupidity rather than ignorance. Which also has no bounds in humans

[Bobobird]

"Only two things are infinite. The Universe and human stupidity.
And I am not yet sure about the Universe." Albert Einstein.

[Mike Buckley]

Too many people think national parks and zoos are the same thing.

In America's national parks, being close enough to a wild animal that doing so attracts the animal's attention is a crime.