Rookeries and ethics?

Harris Neck NWR has a Wood Stork rookery to which they close access fairly early in the nesting season.

Then you have places like where I've been going, the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Gardens, where some of the birds are literally within arms' reach if you leaned over, and there are thousands of visitors and hundreds of photographers there in a nesting season.

Is there ethics involved here? Thanks for any input.

Of course there are ethics involved. Harris Neck NWR is run by the Department of the Interior or some other federal agency and the primary goal is to protect a species under serious environmental threat.

The St. Augustine facility is probably run by city government or by a private business with much different goal.

Right, but so does that mean that in your opinion we shouldn't go there (to places like St. Augustine, Gatorland, etc.)?

I've never been to either spot. Given the status of Wood Stork I'd stay away from any nesting location for the species whether it was closed to the public or not. With the multitude of photos from the Alligator farm the birds there are obviously tolerant of the people and apparently thriving with lots of successful nests.

My bottom line: If I think I might cause the birds any harm I pass on the opportunity to take photos.

My philosophy is the same as Richards, do no harm. I've been to the Alligator farm, which is a privately run business, they respect the birds there, they've provided habitat and a certain measure of safety for the birds, especially nesting birds. And the birds are habituated to humans. Should you or should you not go is a very personal opinion. I would go back to the St. Augustine gator farm despite the overwhelming crowds (I would get a photo pass to get in an hour before they open to the public and stay late) because they do care about their nesting birds. As for the NWR, their birds are not as habituated to humans and therefore any human presence could severely disrupt or prevent nesting, therefore the closures. There is a huge difference between the two and both are doing things "right" for their populations, as I see it.

Thanks, Richard and Hali. Hali, I do have a photo pass and have been every week for a few weeks either in the early morning or late afternoon. Your comments about the birds at the NWR not being habituated to humans is a really good comment. The birds at the alligator farm are surrounded by people from the first time they fly in, so I guess it's okay with them. Thank you!