How to Safely Observe Animals in the Wild

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Trail Map
Binoculars
Camera
Map of Wildlife Viewing Areas
Notebook

Step 1:
Do not approach wildlife. You are responsible for your own safety in wilderness areas and getting too close is a dangerous idea.
Step 2:
Keep human food to yourself. Feeding wildlife can cause animals to be aggressive. Plus, it can be harmful to their overall health.
Step 3:
Alter your route if necessary to move out of the path of wildlife. Do not block an animal's path.
Step 4:
Take advantage of designated observation areas whenever possible. These are designed to protect both you and the wildlife you want to observe.
Step 5:
Use binoculars, telephoto lenses and spotting scopes to minimize animal stress and keep to a safe distance.
Step 6:
Move to a safe distance quietly and quickly if an animal approaches you.
Step 7:
Follow the "Be Bear Aware" link at the Center for Wildlife Information website for important guidelines in the event of a bear or cougar encounter. These animals can be particularly dangerous and should be handled with extreme care.

Tips & Warnings

Remember when you are viewing wildlife that you are in their space. Respect their home and give them plenty of room.
Leave areas the way you found them. Pick up all trail waste and keep all food containers sealed and out of sight.
Animals found in nature are truly wild and unpredictable. Use extreme caution when observing animals in their natural habitat and know when it's time to leave.

More Puppy Pages

How to Identify the Grizzly Bear

Most people think of the term, "grizzly bear" and imagine any old bear. The grizzly bear is far from the average bear. Knowing how to identify this massive mammal is an absolute must if you live in bear country. Often confused with the black bear of...

Woodchucks are interesting creatures to observe, because they seem tireless and display insatiable curiosities. Since they never wander far from their burrows, they also happen to be some of the easiest animals to watch.

Many animals have moods regardless if they are pets or wild. All animals, including domesticated pets have a chance to be dangerous. Here are some tips to spot and avoid a dangerous animal.

The black bear is one of the most dangerous mammals in North America. Most of the danger comes from a lack of education, and man made problems encroaching on the black bear's territories. Knowing how to identify a black bear in the wild is becoming more...

Coyotes, foxes and birds of prey inhabit most places, including urban landscapes with tall skyscrapers and human population. Teach students about this wildlife and more by creating wildlife lesson plans.