Ethics in Herping

This code of ethics is the standard for members of the Herpetological Society of Singapore (HSS). Additionally, it serves as a guide for the general public in their interactions with wild herpetofauna in urban and green spaces.

This write-up consolidates a set of guidelines for herpers to follow while out in the field, with some examples specific to the Singapore context. These guidelines can help document reptiles and amphibians in a scientifically viable way. They can also help to ensure the safety of both the subject and the photographer. The first version of HSS’s code of ethics drew heavy inspiration from Mr. Nicky Bay’s Macro ethics page, which is available at this link. While it has served us well over the last 10 years since HSS was founded, we are now pleased to announce that it has been updated in response to the numerous changes and developments in the herping community regarding this topic over the past decade. This revised code of ethics reflects our ongoing commitment to responsible practices in the field and community engagement regarding ethical herping. We sincerely hope that these new and expanded guidelines will offer clearer direction to herpers of all experience levels, fostering greater understanding and respect from the public for all reptiles and amphibians.

In herping, photographers and enthusiasts may face several moral and ethical dilemmas. One must understand the importance of conserving and protecting the welfare of the animals being photographed so that no harm comes to them. Nature photos are best used in aid of conservation efforts, and not in the pursuit of personal pleasure or glory. Thus, there is a need to be mindful of always prioritising the animal’s welfare.

WHY ARE ETHICS IMPORTANT?

  1. Safety
    Personal safety is your responsibility. As a rule, never herp alone. Ensure you have your companions’ emergency contact details and carry a simple first aid kit. Furthermore, if you feel uncomfortable or unconfident in doing something, please refrain from doing it.
  2. Responsible usage of the photo
    Even after a photo has been taken, it can have a significant impact. If the subject is endangered and is known to be a target of poaching, avoid releasing these photos and the location to the public unless explicit permission is given for special usage (e.g., conservation projects). They might end up alerting poachers to the animal’s location.
  3. Respect for the animal
    Do not indignify the animal by irritating it to elicit a reaction, or disturbing it to get it to pose in a particular position. Trophy shots and handling shots are disrespectful and distressing to the animal.

GUIDELINES

General Handling Guidelines
It is usually unnecessary to handle animals as it unduly stresses them out. Before handling any animal, ask yourself, “Why should I handle it?” As a rule, amateurs (i.e. individuals who are not trained in or are unconfident in the safe handling of herps) should not handle any animals they encounter.

  • When the subject is consuming a meal
    Refrain from disturbing ANY animal that is in the midst of consuming a meal. However, do document it with discretion via photographs and videos, as these are important observations of animal behaviour
  • When the subject is engaging in a sensitive activity (i.e. giving birth/laying eggs, mating, shedding, etc.)
    Refrain from disturbing ANY animal in the midst of engaging in sensitive activities . Doing so can be extremely dangerous for the person and the subject. (e.g., Snakes are more irritable when they shed their skin)
  • The Wildlife Act 1965 explicitly prohibits the killing, trapping, taking or keeping of wildlife, except in the defence of personal property.
  1. Handling Subjects
    • Snakes
      • It is highly inadvisable to handle snakes without the proper training.
        More importantly, it requires experience to correctly identify snakes. Many snakes have evolved to mimic one another, making it difficult to distinguish between different species.
    • Lizards
      • Many groups of lizards (e.g., geckos) can break their tails off when stressed. The tail is extremely important, as the lizard stores most of its energy reserves there. Avoid holding lizards by the tail.
      • Monitor lizards (Varanus spp.) have extremely sharp claws and teeth. Do not attempt to handle these lizards without specialised training or equipment.
    • Chelonians
      • Many turtles will expel their gut contents as a defence strategy when stressed. This causes undue stress to the animal; therefore, it is not recommended to handle chelonians.
      • However, if it is necessary to handle one (in the case of identification) and if you have proper training, always grasp the turtle firmly with four fingers at the plastron and the thumbs on the carapace. Take note that chelonians can have deceptively long necks and painful bites!
      • Do not handle sea turtles. They are endangered and are sensitive to improper handling. If you encounter a sea turtle laying eggs or hatchlings returning to the sea, observe them from a safe, respectful distance. Avoid making noise and shining bright lights on them.
    • Amphibians
      • Do not handle amphibians with your bare hands. Most amphibians have extremely delicate skin that can be easily damaged. Chemicals on your skin (e.g., insect repellent, lotion, soap are also harmful to them, and their permeable skin exacerbates this.
      • It is also possible to transmit chytridiomycosis to amphibians by handling them. This fungal disease has led to declines in amphibian populations worldwide.
    • Crocodilians
      • It goes without saying that crocodiles can pose a danger. Simply observe crocodiles from a safe distance. You may take photos, but do not get too close to the subject. If it is on the trail, do not attempt to bypass the crocodile; instead, find an alternate way around or contact the NParks hotline for assistance
  2. Displacing subjects
    • If the subject was found under a rock, place the rock carefully back in its original position.
    • If the subject is in a location that poses a risk to its well-being or the safety of others (e.g., in the middle of a road, in someone’s house), it can be moved a short distance to a safer location. However, this should only be done by someone trained to handle herps.
    • If the subject is handled for record-taking purposes (e.g., measurements, sexing), return it to the exact location you found it. Such record-keeping is typically done for scientific research and/or conservation monitoring, with official approval (i.e., a permit) from the relevant local authority (e.g., in Singapore, the National Parks Board), as a means to regulate wildlife handling in an ecologically sensitive manner. If you do not have this permit, please refrain from handling herps in the name of record-keeping.
  3. Collecting subjects
    • Subjects should never be collected without an official permit from the National Parks Board. Collection of live specimens without a permit is considered poaching, which is a chargeable offence.
    • Dead animals may be collected and deposited at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum for scientific records. Do take a shot of the ‘crime scene’ for recording purposes.
      • You may contact the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum at 6516 5082 or the NUS Department of Biological Sciences at 6516 2692 (General Enquiries) to check if the animal is needed for their collection and/or research (e.g., if the body condition is suitable, if there are enough of the species in the collection)
      • If you collect the dead animal for the museum, please seek their advice on how to collect, transport, and, if needed, temporarily store it.
  4. Exposing subjects to artificial elements
    Some photographers create artificial scenes to capture unique photos. Such methods are very stressful and injurious to the subjects. They also lack scientific value. Some examples of unacceptable behaviour include:
    • Spraying water to create artificial rain can cause the subject’s body temperature to drop, slowing down their metabolic processes.
    • Artificially placing 2 or more subjects together. Reptiles are rarely communal. The presence of a potential competitor or predator may cause stress in the subjects.
    • Baiting subjects by placing food in the open to attract them.
    • Refrigerating subjects so that they are slowed down or incapable of movement.
    • Forcing subjects into unnatural poses, including prodding them repeatedly into the desired pose, or worse, using strings or wires to control the subjects like a puppet.
    • Glueing or restraining subjects in place to stop them from moving.
    • Before deciding to share such photos on social media in the future, consider how the photo may have been captured. Do not support photographers who undertake unethical practices.
    • Staged photography is possible without the use of unethical practices. However, photographing herps in situ is always preferred. Such photos can provide so much more ecological context.
  5. Equality of life
    • Learn to appreciate every life form with equal importance. A commonly seen herp has an ecological role of equal importance to a rare herp. Treat all life with the same amount of respect you give people.
  6. Learn to stop
    • Recognise when a subject is stressed out and when it is time to move away to avoid further stressing it out.
    • When herping in groups, minimise the disturbance you cause for the animals and give way to other photographers. Do not clamour for shots. This will ensure smooth, sustainable photography.
    • One good practice is setting a reasonable timer (e.g., 15–20 mins) for the entire group to get the shots you would like.

CONSERVATION OF HABITAT

  1. Habitat damage
    • Refrain from cutting/plucking any leaves. A solitary leaf could be the essential cover for an insect against predators. Cutting leaves to unblock the photograph can result in the death of the organisms they shelter.
  2. Littering
    • Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.
    • Always keep a spare plastic bag in your backpack to store any litter you may generate during your field trip.
  3. Personal Behaviour
    • Do not smoke in any natural habitat.
    • Do not make loud noises/ play loud music while herping

PERSONAL CONDUCT

  1. Publicising photos
    • Before posting photos of the rare subject you have just shot, consider the potential impact on the animal and its habitat. Attracting a large number of people (poachers or otherwise) to this site can have negative consequences.
    • Embargo records of animals for some time to minimise the unintended consequences. For animals listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered in the Singapore Red Data Book (3rd Edition), we advise that records be embargoed for at least two weeks.
  2. Disturbance
    • Noise and sudden movement can scare away skittish herps, especially frogs and lizards. Do be mindful of this.
  3. Trophy Shots
    • Trophy shots (e.g. photos of yourself holding or handling a wild animal) are disrespectful to wildlife and can communicate the wrong message to the public. Do not do this, and discourage such behaviour when you encounter it.
  4. Education
    • If you spot others engaging in unethical acts, be tactful in informing them. You can educate them on why the act is unethical and how they can behave in a more ethical manner.
    • If they are not compliant, report them to the relevant authorities. For your safety, do not intervene.
    • For offences within the parks and nature reserves, call the NParks hotline at 1800-471-7300.
    • Only if it is safe to do so, tactfully document unethical behaviour with your camera to aid in any subsequent investigations.

RESPONDING TO A SITUATION
Suppose you encounter a wild herp in distress while outdoors, regardless of whether you are an experienced herper or a member of the public. In that case, it is imperative to prioritise safety while respecting local laws. Untrained individuals must not attempt to capture, move or physically intervene with the herp.

  1. If you are a guide
    • Keep your group calm and maintain a safe distance. Reassure participants and get them to back away from the animal without making sudden movements or creating unnecessarily loud noise.
    • Animals in distress become extra defensive, and the proximity of a large group of people can worsen the situation for both parties. Avoid crowding around the animal.
    • Do not handle the animal. Even with good intentions, untrained handling can cause undue harm to the handler and the herp.
    • Report the sighting to the relevant authorities (NParks Wildlife Hotline: 1800-476-1600).
    • Consider recording the encounter from a safe distance, as adequate footage can help wildlife management professionals assess the severity of a situation.
  2. If you are a member of the public
    • Do not panic. All herps (and wildlife) only get defensive when provoked and/or distressed.
    • Back away slowly and give the animal space.
    • Do not attempt to interact with and/or deter it with sticks, stones or other objects. This may escalate the encounter and cause further stress or injury to the reptile and/or you.

Remember, your role in such situations is to be an observer, not a rescuer. Although it may sound counterintuitive, such an approach often ensures the safety of the humans and herps involved.

HERPING OVERSEAS
While the guidelines published here mainly follow and apply to the wildlife norms of Singapore, they can also be used overseas to ensure a safe and enjoyable herping experience, with minimal distress to the animal. That being said, these are just guidelines and not a rulebook.

Since different standard norms and laws depend on the locality, one should adhere to the local practices and rules when herping overseas. Check if the destination has any rules and practices that may differ from what you know. Above all, it is essential to consider the animal’s welfare and surrounding habitat as a guiding principle, regardless of the herping location.

ILLUMINATION (FLASH)
Although flash usage is a hotly debated topic among wildlife photographers, very few studies research its effect on wildlife. Huang et al. (2011) found that West Indian anoles (Anolis cristatellus) reacted more adversely by reducing their displaying behaviour to the shutter sound of cameras rather than the flash emitted. However, it should be noted that these anoles are diurnal and may be less affected by flash than a nocturnal animal. Additionally, this study did not focus on repeated exposure to flashes, nor the effect (if any) of the short-term ‘blindness’ that exposure to bright lights can cause. It is often the mere proximity of the photographer to an animal while conducting macro photography sufficient to induce elevated stress levels.

Even though studies suggest that the adverse effects of flash photography are minimal, caution should still be exercised when photographing reptiles and amphibians with flash, and they should not be photographed for extended periods. The duration and intensity of use of flash should be moderated, and proactive measures should be taken to prevent harm to the animal, even without complete scientific certainty.

Some ways of mitigating the potentially detrimental effects of flash on a subject include:

  • Using a diffuser to reduce the intensity of light that reaches the subject.
  • Reducing the flash intensity and adjusting other settings, such as ISO, shutter speed, or aperture, to achieve the desired exposure.
  • Reducing the number of times the subject is exposed to the flash.
  • Reducing the length of time that the subject is photographed.

ONLINE ETHICS
Sharing of photos online is commonplace. One would face these scenarios sooner or later, either as a photographer, website owner or internet user.

  1. The Internet is unreliable.
    • Do not wholly trust what you see on the internet. Even some reputable sources can contain errors in their published content (e.g., incorrect facts, misrepresentative photographs, etc.). Always cross-reference multiple sources or ask an expert on the subject.
    • Please credit the identification source (i.e. the person/institution who has helped identify the animal). Proper identification can sometimes be complicated work, so credits should be due. ID credits also allow others to follow up with discussions.
    • Avoid identifying a subject unless you are sure or have consulted a particular expert. Identification is based on a specific set of characters. Subjects that appear “identical” in photos should not be assumed to be the same species. Conversely, subjects that look radically different can be different morphs of the same species.
  2. Image/Photo Distribution
    • Always assume that the photographer of any photo owns the copyright. It is NOT OK to:
      • Upload a copy of the image to your own website/page without explicit permission from the owner.
      • Resize, crop or manipulate the original image in any way not explicitly permitted by the owner.
      • Remove or replace any existing watermarks. Handling of watermarks should only be done by the copyright owner.
    • Locate and contact the image owner
      • Do a reverse image search to find other sites hosting the image. READ the sites’ content to find the image’s owner, and look for the photographer’s contact. The photographer has put in a lot of effort and money to produce the image, and should thus be contacted to acknowledge their work and respect their wishes in how they want their work to be presented, shared, and credited.
    • Avoid wrongful credit
      • Never credit “Google Images”, image aggregators, or a news agency.
    • Pass when in doubt.
      • If in doubt, do not use the image.

REFERENCES

Bay, N. (n.d.). Macro Photography Ethics. Retrieved March 19, 2015, from http://sgmacro.blogspot.sg/p/macro-photography-ethics.html

Huang, B., Lubarsky, K., Teng, T., & Blumstein, D. T. (2011). Take only pictures, leave only… fear? The effects of photography on the West Indian anole Anolis cristatellus. Current Zoology, 57(1), 77-82.

We would like to thank Mr Nicky Bay of Macro Photography in Singapore for allowing us to adapt his page on ethical macro photography. We also want to thank everyone who advised us on what we should include on this page!

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