
Dr Lisa Argilla’s top tips for watching wildlife
- Aim to stay at least 10m from wildlife – and ideally a bit further if you’re watching yellow-eyed penguin (unlike cheeky kea, they’re a shy species).
- It’s best to sit quietly or hide to observe wildlife – that way you’ll enjoy their natural behaviour, which is often surprising and always amazing.
- Don’t feed wildlife. It can be tempting to feed birds such as kea. But the food humans eat can harm wildlife. It can also cause dependency on human food, which ultimately means a species is less likely to survive in the wild.
- Don’t litter! Plastic, for example, damages the environment and can kill wildlife that eats it.
- Invest in some good, lightweight binoculars – they’re a great investment and don’t have to weigh down your pack. A good, long-range camera is another great way to keep your distance and to observe wildlife without being intrusive.