Wildlife Viewing - With Your Child - Be Polite as you Watch Wildlife

drawing of family With Your Child

Be Polite as you Watch Wildlife

If you and your family regularly visit state and national parks, you’re already familiar with the signs and brochures that read: don’t feed the wildlife, leave pets at home, and respect the wild environment by not littering, picking wildflowers or straying off established trails. But time and time again, these common-sense rules are broken when our impatience, curiosity or quest for dramatic interaction with wildlife get the better of us. The result can scare away the animals you seek, put you in danger, harm the habitat, or spoil the experience for others.

In Florida, such incidents may include beachgoers who disturb nesting sea turtles or flocks of shorebirds; boaters or swimmers who try to get too close to manatees, dolphins and fragile coral reefs; and well-intentioned people feeding alligators or bears.

A good rule of thumb is to try and observe animals without interrupting their normal activities. Take some tips from Jim Arnosky, author of “Secrets of a Wildlife Watcher.” In this book, suitable for sharing with children, Arnosky explains in simple terms why and how to find, stalk and watch wildlife in a non-intrusive way. He also includes a chapter on keeping a wildlife journal, to help you enjoy and remember the experience.

Learn more about watching wildlife in our Wildlife Viewing Information section.