Technology & Environmental Conservation

Nature documentaries such as B.B.C’s “Nature’s Great Events” videotape animals in all aspects of life including when they’re eating, mating, or dying.  Brett Mills, a lecturer in film studies at the University of East Anglia, believes that filming animals during activities that we humans view as privacy-worthy such as giving birth and mating is unethical.   Mills argues that some animals indicate a desire for privacy by hiding themselves during intimate acts.  One example in particular is when a narwhal whale escaped under an Arctic ice sheet for privacy, but the documenters followed it anyway.   Mills states that “instead of thinking we’ll leave it alone, film-makers decide the only solution is to develop new technology so they can film it”.  Some of this technology includes microscopic and aerial cameras.  Mills compares sneaking a pinhole camera into a bird’s nest to humans being a sort of animal Big Brother.

Mills equates filming birds in their private nesting places to CCTV.  CCTVs are closed-circuit television cameras that are used mainly for human surveillance and receive arguments from opponents that these surveillance cameras infringe on privacy rights.  The BBC show uses state of the art equipment to catch video of rare and hard to find animals such as humpback whales, cheetahs, and polar bears.  Mills acknowledges that consent from animals is difficult to determine, but he believes if animals engage in ‘secretive’ behavior such as running away or burrowing underground, this is an indication that an animal is enacting their right to privacy.

In response to Mills claims, BBC’s Natural History unit says that filming technology is being constantly updated in order to minimize disruption toward the animals being filmed.  Their film-makers also work very close with scientists who study the complex lives of animals in hopes of improving wildlife conservation.  Natural history documentaries are important in spreading understanding of animal life and informing the world of precious, endangered species. These films increase awareness of the importance of preserving ecosystems.  The whole point of documentaries is to see animals’ natural behavior.  The B.B.C has strict guidelines on what one can and cannot do while filming wild animals.

Piers Warren, founder of Filmmakers for Conservation, completely dismisses Mills arguments and says that it is impossible to say if an animal wants to be filmed or not.  Animals have no concept of privacy.  Animals don’t want to be around humans or other large predators.  Hiding in a burrow is an act of preservation, not bashfulness.  Even People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) states there was no harm in filming animals.  They praised environmental documentaries by saying they increase people’s awareness of many spectacular species we share the planet with.  The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)’s advisor also says that the concept of privacy is alien to wild animals.

I personally think the idea of animal privacy is sort of ridiculous.  I agree with those people who have said that animals do not have a concept of privacy and that documentaries help towards environmental conservation.  When people view the lives of endangered animals, I believe this gives them a reason to help protect the environment because by protecting the environment they are protecting beautiful and complex creatures.   However, I only support filming of animals’ intimate moments for educational purposes not any for any kind of joking or ridiculing.

Sources:http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/apr/29/wildlife-films-infringe-privacy

             http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/animals-privacy.html#cr

             http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/7653305/Wildlife-documentaries-invade-animal-privacy-rights-       claims-leading-academic.html