Some caution always enters into the equation when you’re working with animals in photography. And if you’re in a wild area this is particularly wise as you cannot predict what an animal may do.
Image via Pixabay from Pexels.com.A recent story in The Independent serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of wildlife photography – particularly if you are dealing with elephants.
In what is one among a string of incidents involving elephants, a German tourist on holiday in Zimbabwe was killed after exiting her tour vehicle to snap some pictures of a herd of elephants her tour group encountered at the popular Mana Pool game reserve. Her injuries were so extensive that she later died in hospital.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Tinashe Farawo detailed the events that led up to the woman’s unfortunate death but was unsure as to whether or not her actions may have caused the elephants to attack. He did add that visitors are given plenty of warnings about the animals before they begin their tour and that all are instructed to keep a safe distance from them lest someone get attacked.
Of course, we’ve brought you multiple stories here of photography and animals gone sideways but it’s something that, though it has always been a part of the field, is growing in prominence because more and more people are aiming for that perfect shot whether for social media or other purposes.
We told you about the social media star dragged underwater by sharks and the wildlife photographer who faced down a polar bear back in July.
And, as The Independent reports, elephants are particularly prominent in the headlines regarding photographer-related deaths. One tour guide was killed by a trained elephant near Victoria Falls and another person was killed while herding elephants for tourists according to the publication.
