NEXT INDEX HOME

Watching Wildlife Around the World 4
Laurie Lubeck

While resting, feeding, or hunting, the constant presence of tourists interrupts the lion's normal routine.

How do you know if an animal is disturbed by you? There are certain signs to look for. According to Mark Damian Duda, author of "Watching Wildlife," an animal that is disturbed will:

* walk or run away (or fly, crawl, slither, hop or swim away!) * charge or threaten people * stop feeding * raise their heads and look at the disturbance * appear nervous * suddenly stand up from a resting position * change their direction of travel Some signals used by mammals: * looking at you with their ears pointed in your direction * white tailed deer stomp their feet * beavers slap their tails on the water * grizzly bears may charge and have injured many people who have come too close Some signals used by birds: * exhibiting a "broken-wing" display * circling repeatedly * crying out overhead * diving at intruders * freezing * ducks pump their heads * young owls sway from side to side and "pop" their beaks * Canada geese hiss and charge