Do Wildlife documentaries infringe animals' privacy?

An interesting article by Ian Sample of the Guardian about how wildlife documentaries may be causing the animals unnecessary stress.

Wildlife documentary makers are infringing animals' rights to privacy by filming their most private and intimate moments, according to a new study.

Footage of animals giving birth in their burrows or mating crosses an ethical line that film-makers should respect, according to Brett Mills, a lecturer in film studies at the University of East Anglia.

Mills compiled a report on animals' rights to privacy after reviewing scenes from the BBC's 2009 wildlife series "Nature's Great Events". Among the offending footage was film of a narwhal whale that appeared to have retreated from view beneath the Arctic ice sheet.

"Instead of thinking we'll leave it alone, film-makers decide the only solution is to develop new technology so they can film it," Mills said.

"We have an assumption that humans have some right to privacy, so why do we not assume that for other species, particularly when they are engaging in behaviour that suggests they don't want to be seen?"

In the BBC's Planet Earth they used high definition high zoom lenses from hot air balloons to ensure that they filmed a lot of their work from a distance that didn't disturb the animals.

It also meant that they saw the creatures at their most natural.

Maybe we should change some of our methods of observation when it comes to the Natural World, however, if we are to ensure that the next generation feel connected to the natural world we need to educate them about as many of the natural wonders as possible.

Once you feel connected to something, you want to ensure its protection and survival.

Read the Article