Veronica Kelly has hosted her share of unruly guests. During her time as a park ranger at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach, Florida, and as the manager for visitor services at Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Kelly has witnessed visitors feeding marshmallows to alligators and using flash to photograph owls at night, among other strange behaviors. “People love the animals and just want to interact with them,” she says. “But it’s so important to remember that refuges are the homes of wildlife.” In short: Mind your manners.
As someone popping into a park or refuge for the day, it’s easy to forget that the margin of survival for wildlife can be razor-thin and that we don’t always know the context in which an animal is existing the moment we spot them. Snowy owls, for example, migrate as far south as Texas and Florida from the tundras of Canada for the winter. They arrive exhausted, without an ounce of fat to spare. Whatever energy remains is needed for hunting—not flying away from an overly curious person.
Plus, as Kimberly Andrews, a coastal ecologist and herpetologist at UGA Marine Extension points out, wildlife watching is best for humans when the animal’s behavior is natural. “When you approach the animal, the only thing you are likely to observe is the way that animal reacts to being approached by a person,” she says. “That isn’t nearly as fascinating as the opportunity to stand back and observe what a wild animal is doing on their own in nature.”
Below, brush up on the rules of visiting wildlife refuges—and wild places in general—in a way that’s safe and enjoyable for both you and its residents.
Above all, keep your distance.
Wildlife needs plenty of space from humans and a wide escape route so they can leave the situation if they’re feeling uncomfortable. For exactly how much space to give, Kelly has a general rule: If you can extend your arm, make the thumbs up sign, and cover the entire animal with your thumb, you’re likely at a good distance.
Want to get a close-up? Invest in some gear.
Binoculars, a spotting scope, or a camera with a good zoom lens will all serve you well in the field. A tip from Kelly: You can use your cell phone to take pictures and identify species through a binoculars or spotting scope.
Ditch the flash.
Besides the most common mistake of getting too close in pursuit of the perfect shot, wildlife is easily disturbed by flash photography—especially animals with sensitive vision. “Imagine you’re an owl and somebody uses their flash on you,” Kelly says. “You have to have your eyes and ears to hunt for your food, and that flash is going to be disorienting.”
Embrace the silence.
Countless times, Kelly has seen wildlife scared off because someone spots it and shouts out to the rest of the group. “If you think you see an eagle, don’t scream, eagle! Just whisper it. Move slowly and pretend you’re part of the background.”
Don’t give treats.
Not only is the food you hand out likely to be inappropriate for an animal’s diet, but you’ll risk habituating it to humans. In the case of species like alligators and bears, that can be a death sentence, as the creature may become emboldened and deemed a nuisance. “Wildlife can find their own food,” Kelly says. “They’ve been doing it for hundreds of thousands of years.”
Your car is your friend.
You might think experiencing the outdoors requires getting out of your car, but that’s not always the case. “Your vehicle is your best blind,” Kelly says. Many refuges offer car routes for viewing, like Okefenokee’s Swamp Island Wildlife Drive. “The animals are used to seeing vehicles, but if you get out, you’re probably going to spook whatever you’re looking at, and then nobody else gets to see them.”
Remember whose space it is.
As Andrews points out, wildlife habitat is continuously losing ground to the ongoing march of development. Therefore it’s even more important to respect our animals, from elk and alligators to roseate spoonbills and manatees, in the few spaces they have left. “Just stand back and enjoy watching these incredible wild animals in their habitats. To be able to do that is a true gift that’s becoming more and more rare.”
