Wildlife photography brings conservation benefit through awareness but carries risks of animal disturbance and welfare harm when practised irresponsibly.
Wildlife photography welfare harms range from brief disturbance to prolonged abandonment of eggs and chicks. Drone overflights of colonial seabirds cause mass flushing with mortality consequences. Playback in breeding season disrupts territorial defence and nest guarding. Baiting raptors creates dependency and changes natural hunting behaviour. Following and sharing ethical photography guidelines protects the subjects whose welfare benefits from the awareness that good wildlife photography creates.