Being a Wildlife Cameraman

[Jasandjules]

Ok, first of all whilst I doubt it should be in here I imagined the Mods would put it here so I thought I'd save them the effort.

But, the question is: COULD you do it?

I quite often watch the wildlife show where say a small lion cub is killed by a male lion or the young meerkat is attacked and killed. Or a hyena steals a kill..

And I can't help but think that I couldn't do that job, allowing the baby to die etc and just sit and film it.. I mean, give me a rifle and the Hyena woul'nt nick the lion kill, I'd have shot it. (some may for some reason view this as in some way interfering...;-) )

[wiffmaster]

I could do it quite easily. On the basis that it's an entirely natural process and my presence there has no impact on the final outcome. That's not to say it might not be upsetting at times.

Not sure I could be a cameraman who covered humanitarian atrocities/tragedies, though. It's easy to imagine how the likes of Kevin Carter lost it.

[Jasandjules]

I just think some of the scenes would be way too distressing and I would want to interfere.... I still recall one from many years ago, brings a tear to my eye.

Perhaps I am a sensitive soul. May be time to e-mail all my friends about things they've upset me with ;-)

[Arnold The Bat]

I was in South Africa last year and whilst on a cage diving trip I was fortunate enough to see a Great White take a seal. It was pretty brutal even from a distance but not particulary upsetting and I say that as an animal lover. In the end the shark's got to eat and I actually feel quite privileged to have witnessed it.

[agent006]

The greater problem for wildlife cameramen is surviving the months of filming tedious nothingness to get the few minutes of great footage.

[SirClarke]

Jasandjules said:

I mean, give me a rifle and the Hyena woul'nt nick the lion kill, I'd have shot it. (some may for some reason view this as in some way interfering...;-) )

You'd kill a Hyena purely because it was "stealing" a kill from a lion, even though it's been proven that Hyenas are more successful hunters and there are more occurrences of lions stealing kills of Hyena clans than the other way around? (you big wuss!)

I love wildlife and it will (hopefully) form the backbone of my career. A job as a wildlife cameraman would be a dream job and I'd happily film anything but there are a few natural events which i think might stress me a bit but I'm sure I'd get over it

[ewenm]

I remember the documentary pieces about filming the Life series last year. One of them showed the long, lingering (3 week I think?) death of a cow after being bitten by a Komodo Dragon (I think, again). The cameramen, all experienced wildlife workers, said it was a very very traumatic experience to film that.

I couldn't do it. But regardless of that, I couldn't handle the hours, days, weeks of mindless boredom waiting for that shot, that moment, which makes the program.

[dudleybloke]

they would probably have to dub out my laughing!

[Jasandjules]

SirClarke said:

Jasandjules said:

I mean, give me a rifle and the Hyena wouldn't nick the lion kill, I'd have shot it. (some may for some reason view this as in some way interfering...;-) )

You'd kill a Hyena purely because it was "stealing" a kill from a lion, even though it's been proven that Hyenas are more successful hunters and there are more occurrences of lions stealing kills of Hyena clans than the other way around? (you big wuss!)

Yes (and I am a huge wuss when it comes to animals). Because I don't like Hyena I don't think it's fair that they steal the food. ...... In the same way that they will steal a kill from say a Leopard.......

Basically I was watching Steve Austin and the Hyena were near the lion cubs whilst the lioness were out hunting, and there was a risk that the hyena would find and kill the cubs. So I thought, well f**k letting that happen, I'd shoot the Hyena instead.......

[wiffmaster]

Jasandjules said:

Because I don't like Hyena

But look how adorable they are!

[agent006]

Jasandjules said:

Basically I was watching Steve Austin and the Hyena were near the lion cubs whilst the lioness were out hunting, and there was a risk that the hyena would find and kill the cubs. So I thought, well f**k letting that happen, I'd shoot the Hyena instead.......

I presume you'd be weeping at the film of the Hyena's family starving to death after some tt shot it.

Humans have done far more harm to Lions than any Hyena ever will. You've got an awful lot of people to shoot first.

[Jasandjules]

agent006 said:

Jasandjules said:

Basically I was watching Steve Austin and the Hyena were near the lion cubs whilst the lioness were out hunting, and there was a risk that the hyena would find and kill the cubs. So I thought, well f**k letting that happen, I'd shoot the Hyena instead.......

I presume you'd be weeping at the film of the Hyena's family starving to death after some tt shot it.

Humans have done far more harm to Lions than any Hyena ever will. You've got an awful lot of people to shoot first.

Well, I was thinking it was the lessor of two evils, I would shoot an adult hyena to protect the lion cubs. Then if the hyena cubs needed help well I guess I'd feed them too. As you can my career as a "wildlife cameraman" wouldn't last long......

Oh, I am more than happy to shoot a few people, I've even got a little list....... ;-)