Irresponsible photographer gets too close to Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) Dovrefjell, Norway.

This person approached up a gully in a snow storm, out of view of the muskoxen. He then crawled up the slope to within about 10 m from some of the animals who were resting on the ridge. The animals got up, ran away, but then came back and appeared to prepare and charge him. Then the person got up and simply walked away. The animals ran away again for several hundreds of meters. The animals were out of their normal routine for hours that day.

There were many things wrong with the behavior of this person:

1. He walked and crawled directly towards the animals. He did not gradually approach, which would have allowed the animals to get used to his presence and make clear that he did not pose a threat.

2. He approached the animals mostly out of sight and the animals did not see him until he was extremely close. This really startled the animals.

3. He crawled, similar to a predator would.

4. He caused the animals to run in winter, which caused them to spend valuable energy.

5. He caused the animals to be out of their normal routine for many hours after the incident.

6. He put himself in serious danger.

7. He could have put my friend Niels and me in danger as well, but fortunately the animals did not run our way and did not take it out on us.

8. He was not courteous to us, his fellow photographers, by placing himself in between us and the animals we were photographing, and he also caused a disturbance to the situation we were photographing.

In summary, don't be this person!

Photographer approaching in snow storm, Dovrefjell, NorwayPhotographer approaching in snow storm, Dovrefjell, Norway Irresponsible photographer gets too close to Muskoxen (Ovibos moIrresponsible photographer gets too close to Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) Dovrefjell, Norway Irresponsible photographer gets too close to Muskoxen (Ovibos moIrresponsible photographer gets too close to Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) Dovrefjell, Norway

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