Wildlife Viewing Ethics
Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Washington, near Seattle.
Proper etiquette for viewing wildlife on San Juan Island (and everywhere else too)
Maintain a respectful distance while watching or photographing wildlife.
Constant flushing of feeding birds, especially migratory species such as swans, can lead
to stress-induced disease.
Use binoculars or spotting scopes for viewing.
Leave nesting birds alone. Disturbances may result in nesting failures,
and approaches to occupied nests may alert predators.
Use your car as a blind when possible.
Staying inside avoids stressing and scaring wildlife away, as well as ruining the experience
for other wildlife watcher.Avoid dangerous traffic situation; pull completely off the road
to view wildlife.
Move slowly and quietly around wildlife when hiking. Avoid brightly colored clothes; wear drab greens and browns instead.
Mammals are generally color-blind, but birds are not.
Camouflage shirts can often be found in thrift shops, and insulated coveralls work well for cool-weather sits. (You’re likely to see more if you stay quietly for time in one place.
The optimum times for viewing are dawn and dusk, and the best places are where two or more habitats meet.
Respect private property; don’t trespass through fields, yards, or private beaches, and don’t litter in either private or public areas.
Do not pick wildflowers or trample over their habitats. When picking berries or rose hips, be careful not to break canes. Stay on the trail.
Shoreside, refill all holes and return and return large rocks to their original positions.
Observe limits on the collection of edible species, and forgo the collection of others for souvenirs. Handle tidepool creatures gently and briefly, and return them to their original places.
Report marine mammal harassment to the National Marine Fisheries Service,
(206) 526-6133, or the Whale Hotline 1-800-562-8832, with the vessel’s name and identification number.
Federal guidelines prohibit vessels from approaching marine mammals more closely than a hundred yards or doing anything that substantially disrupts the normal behavior of these animals.
Educate others about ethical wildlife observation-spread the word
These guidelines were developed with the help of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife
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Patty Quales and her husband sent this in for the 2010 Photo Contest
. They are the winners for 'wildlife'.
This was taken on the southern end of San Juan Island of Stellar Sea Lions hauled out.
Note the lighthouse in the background.
We are proud members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, formerly known as Whale Watch Operaors Association Northwest. Both Colleen & Bill are board members for many years This logo assures you that a company is a member in good standing.
The "Association" has worked with scientists, NOAA and industry leaders to assist in writing the Whale Watching Guidelines and Best Practices
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San Juan Safaris, Inc.,
Friday Harbor, WA, USA
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