Wildlife Rescue & Conservation Photography

Danielle Hutchinson
Mar 1, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Aug 18, 2025

One of my absolute passions is photographing conservation work. I love being able to capture the bond between volunteers and the animals they care for. It's a joy to be able to showcase the work that these organisations do and I often share these posts on social media to encourage others to visit or donate to these worthy causes.

Below are a few of my favourite examples of places that I've visited and photographed in recent years...

Cornish Seal Sanctuary - February 2025

FEEDING TIME - Capturing one of the favourite times of day, for seals and visitors alike!

CHECKING IN - This is also a key time for volunteers to check on any injuries or conditions that the rescued seals are currently being treated for.

PURE JOY - This is one of my favourite photos from the day, capturing the pure joy of a little girl watching the seals through one of the underwater viewing windows (shared with parental permission).

For me, photographing conservation isn't just about showcasing the hard work that goes into the animals' care, but also capturing some of the beautiful interactions between visitors and the animals. These connections are what bring people back and encourage the ongoing support of these organisations.

Auckland Zoo - April 2024

FEATHERED FRIENDS: The beginning of a talk at Auckland Zoo about their conservation work. Where possible, I try and capture the logo of the organisation in a photo to provide context and brand recognition.

COMING IN HOT: Flight shows are always brilliant at bringing the birds into the midst of the audience. I love the chance to capture visitors' reactions as they swoop past!

SHOP SUSTAINABLE - The final message of the talk was cleverly unveiled by a feathered assistant. The take-home was to look for FSC certified products when shopping to try and make conscious decisions as consumers.

I particularly like this trio of images, as I feel that they tell a cohesive story when presented alongside one another. There were plenty of other birds and keepers involved in the show (some of which you can see in the gallery at the base of this page) but by highlighting the story of one particular bird and keeper, the audience is guided through the show and builds a stronger rapport.

Paradise Park - August 2022

These photos are a few years older, but you've got to start somewhere! This is when I first began to get an idea of how much I enjoyed photographing not just animals in general, but particularly wildlife conservation due to some of the fantastic interactions that are possible to capture...

HAVING A CHAT - This is one of the first conservation photos that I was really proud of. It truly looks as though Archie and the owl are deep in conversation and captures the bond of trust and understanding between them.

READY FOR TAKE OFF - The flight show is one of the most anticipated events of the day. High up on a scaffold, the birds prepare to swoop down across the audience to reach a tasty snack held by a keeper on the other side of the field.

HUNTING SHADOWS - The silhouette of one of the fantastic birds of prey in the flight show. Although this photo differs from some of the other close-up shots, I really like the leading line of the audience sat in a row that draws your eye to the keeper.

Gallery

There were far too many photos to shortlist, so here are some more of my favourite conservation photos from the three locations (click to view full image):