The Rule Of Not Interfering

[paal_jensen1]

Humans are part of the natural environment. We are also from natures side equiped with empathy for other species. This is also part of humans natural behaviour. We are always interfering when out in nature, particulary when photographing wildlife.

Three weeks ago I was out shooting landscapes in this wonderful canyon with green moss and a river of meltwater from a glacier. Hundreds of Fulmars breeds on the canyon walls there. On my way up the canyon a saw five or six young fulmars that have jumped out of their cliff nests. They looked just like grown up birds but couldn't fly yet. One was an exception; it was smaller than the others and still had some of its chick feathers left. Obviously the local arctic foxes in the area were feasting on young Fulmars based on all the dead, half-eaten fulmar bodies lying around.

Naturally, I put up my tripod and started photographing one of those young fulmars with my 300mm lens. These birds are not afraid of humans; they have probably never seen a human being before. It watched me with mild curiosity but didn't mind my presence and was not disturbed at all. However, after a few minutes the curiosity obviously came out of control and to my amazement (I even forgot to photograph) the bird came straight at me. When it was about 10cm from me it suddenly freaked out in wild panic, probably some instinct was triggered and it realized that humans might be dangerous, It ran away beating its wings and went straight into the river taken away by the currents. It finaly manage to get ashore on a river bank in the middle of the river. At least it was safe from the foxes I figured out. All I had done was standing still and photographing.

On my way back to my car several hour later, all the fulmars had dissapeared. However, I found the body of the youngest one lying in the river at the shore. Out of curiosity I picked it up. The wings and the head was hanging down and it looked completely dead. However, I thought there was some slight movement of the neck when I moved it carefully back and forth. After warming the soaked bird for a few minutes, it started to kick its leg slightly. There I was with this obviously alive fulmar; I couldn't possibly put it back into the river. To make a long story short. After 45min its was getting dark; the fulmar had started to kick its legs, beat its wings and biting with its beak. I had to go back to my car. It was getting dark and I had 30min of walking in front of me. I left the bird behind a rock. I never seriously considered taking it home with me. It probably had no chance to survive anyway; it was too young.

To conclude: I was interfering when shooting and I was interfering when I was not shooting. I can't see how I could have done otherwise, regardless of how futile my first aid try was. I don't think I did something unatural or artificial. I just did what felt natural to me.

[claire_mayo]

I am stunned that people think it's 'unnatural' to help ('interfere') with wild animals who desperately need help? So we should not bother helping any living being,including humans....let's ignore the starving children in africa & not offer help. If we are in the right place at the right time when a human is in need just sit there & watch...because it's all part of nature & therefore unnatural to 'interfere' :)

 

I am confused as I thought it was 'natural' for human beings to want to help other living beings? And if a documentary or photographer happens to be around when a wild animal so desperately needs help, I don't see why they don't contact an expert to come in & help. I'm tired of seeing documentaries where the people filming will just sit there & watch a animal in agony sugger & die over days when it could have lived with help? It's so sick. The voice-overs are even worse 'this animal is so severely injured, it's hard to watch' or 'the baby lion has fallen down a hole & it's mother can't get it out & will have to leave it there, it breaks my heart....' well get off your arse & help then lol

 

We like to think we are different from animals but we are all part of the creation & no different at all. If it was a human in trouble they'd run to help but when it's an animal they don't care.

[julie_decker]

<p>You are stunned because you don't understand how nature works. "Interfering" means there is an intention or agenda at work and if you do something to get in the way of that agenda then you are interfering. So we need to get clear on the larger goal and then everyone will understand. But has anyone asked what the larger goal is ? The goal is survival of the species or race, not survival of everyone in the race. Nature makes a whole range of variations and then sees which ones survive and which ones dont. Then only the best survive and procreate and the process starts over. We are aboslutely interfering with nature in the human race and we will pay for it in the end. Nature always wins. So feeding children, giving to charities, trying to cure disease etc. All of that is interefering with nature trying to kill off some of its own.</p>

[craig_meddaugh]

<p>Surprising that this thread got resurected...<br />Not to get this thing side tracked but seriously <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=24237">Sean Hester</a>, are you really purporting what I think you are purporting? Who gets to pick who the "strong" people are and how do I get to be on that committee?<br>

<br />As for <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=23658">Robert Henriksen</a>, I'm guessing you think of yourself as an alpha wolf and you get to breed (though unless you are a professional athlete or a rockstar, breeding opportunities are going to be unlikely in your dystopian society). How do we as a society chose our "alphas" and assign breeding opportunities commensurately... I would definitely like to be on that commmitee.<br>

<br />And <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=5208941">Julie Decker</a>... From your statement, I am guessing that you have never been to a doctor nor have you availed yourself to an antibiotic or vaccine. Sadly, I fear that you have done all of these and are nothing more than a seriously misguided hypocrite. So please either take your own advice and stop with medical treatment and basic nutrition and exit the gene pool stage left or grow some compassion for humanity.</p>

[julie_decker]

<p>Grow some compassion for humanity ? I have alot of compassion for humanity, but what does that have to do with it ? Leave me out of this. I am just telling you what nature wants, so take it up with mother nature. It is serisouly naive to think we can circumvent nature and to think it is a good thing because it makes you feel good without concern for the consequences. That is short sided and hedonistic. We are wired for compassion for a reason and only is supposed to be used if it enhances survival of the race. More is not better. Just like sex, sex feels good, so should we just do it with everyone and anyone all day long ? That would create a situation that is counter-survival of the race. Would it make a bunch of babies, yes. But is that the goal ? No. More is not better because more is not the goal.</p>