LNT Sixth Principle: Respect Wildlife

When you're hiking in the backcountry, it's important to remember that all the critters out there consider it their home and you are the guest. In order to preserve the ecosystem, you better respect them. This goes for your safety and theirs.

Don't feed the wildlife

This should be common sense, but you should avoid feeding the wildlife either intentionally or unintentionally.

If animals become too reliant on people for food, this can interfere with their natural migration patterns and their ability to survive harsher months. Depending on what you're feeding them, it could be ultimately unhealthy for them. Also, lots of the adorable little alpine mammals can carry hantavirus, which while rare is very unpleasant if you're unfortunate to contract it. The symptoms range from fatigue and muscle aches to nausea, abdominal pain, and respiratory distress.

Look, I get it, they're cute and you want to lure them in for a picture, but it's just not good for them. If you must feed animals, stick to the birds at an urban municipal park (but feed them seeds, not bread).

In addition to not feeding the animals intentionally, it's important not to feed them unintentionally either. I am specifically considering bears here. Bears are very, very food motivated. The day they associate humans with food is a bad day for the bear; if they become a nuisance or become aggressive it is highly likely that animal control will put the bear down. Relocating doesn't work; a bear associating people with food is too dangerous for people and will be killed. Keep food in a bear canister or hanging up on a line, and keep that food at least 100 feet from wherever you are camping. Some regions require bear canisters while backpacking, so check the regulations where you are going.

This little golden mantled squirrel thinks all people = food, and boldly approaches my pack while I'm resting.

Give them space

Speaking of bears, don't approach them! Or any alpha predator for that matter. I mean, they could eat you! If you get too close and stress them out, their "fight or flight" instinct could kick in and if they choose fight, you probably won't come out ahead. So many, many times I hear about people who saw a cute little baby bear and were like "daww, let's get closer for a picture!" only to be mauled when Mama Bear came charging. Don't approach them!

Exact distances may vary by land manager (Yellowstone has specific rules to stay 25 yards away from large wildlife, for instance), but for large predators 100 yards (1 football field) is a good rule of thumb.

In fact, you can use your "rule of thumb" to measure if you're too close: Hold your arm straight out and stick up your thumb. If you can completely obscure the animal with your thumb, you are a safe distance away. If not, then you're too close and should back away when reasonable. Sometimes the animals have other plans, but don't move yourself closer.

Don't interfere with their environment

Avoid camping within 100' of lakes or streams to avoid cutting wildlife off from water sources (some land managers require a 200' buffer zone).

Also, consider putting the Bluetooth speaker away. I'll talk more about that in the next post, but making too much noise can disrupt wildlife. A little noise is fine to ward of predators; bells or just talking to your hiking companions is typically more than enough. Consider your noise impacts when hiking. The quieter you are, the more wildlife you are likely to see, no food lures required!