Some photographers bait wildlife to get that perfect shot. Is that right?
by Moira Farr Last winter, an influx of northern owl species to the Ottawa area brought droves of bird watchers and photographers from all over the province and even the United States, hoping to get glimpses, and photos, of the impressive creatures. To heighten the drama, some photographers brought live mice to throw out onto snowy fields, enticing the big birds to swoop in for the kill. They posted the resulting dramatic photographs on birding and wildlife websites. The practice appalled many local observers, including me. We could see that it encouraged owls to lurk around human groups, waiting to be fed and possibly endangering themselves (every year, wildlife sanctuaries take in owls that have been hit by cars). At least one bird got in the habit of following birders as they drove from spot to spot. It created a zoo-like atmosphere of crowds watching wild animals “perform.” And it seemed cruel to turn the last moments of the captive mice into a spectacle. In one instance, a shrike
