Wildlife that finds its way into our residential areas is a rare treat as humans continue to spread out and urbanize our world. We’ve become more removed from nature. We’ve also become fearful of some of the adorable furry creatures we see in our neighborhoods.
But it’s safe to say that not all wildlife should be fed by humans. You might be wondering: “Why is feeding wildlife not advised?”
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Consequences of Unnatural Food Sources
Unnatural food sources can have a variety of consequences. This includes increasing the risk of being infected with parasites, allergies, and food allergies. It also increases harmful interactions between different species. As well as the disruption of natural behavior patterns, such as migration routes.
Unnatural food sources, such as processed snacks, can cause nutritional imbalances. This leads to health issues and even a shortened lifespan. For these reasons and many more, it is important to refrain from feeding wildlife to keep both humans and animals safe and healthy.
Risk of Disturbing Nature’s Balance
Feeding wildlife is actually harmful to the natural environment. It can disturb nature’s delicate balance. The risks posed to the ecosystem by feeding wildlife include attracting predators. It also attracts disease-causing parasites. It encourages animals to become reliant on people for their food. Ultimately, it causes the wildlife population to become unbalanced.
Humans can introduce foreign food sources and pollutants into the environment. This can poison wildlife if consumed. It is best to observe the wildlife from a distance rather than provide an artificial food source.
Creates Unnatural Habits
Feeding wildlife can create unnatural habits that endanger both the wildlife being fed and the environment. Creatures being fed by humans often forget natural behaviors, rely on humans for continued food sources and may forget how to feed themselves.
Also, when animals become dependent on human handouts, their ability to efficiently forage for their own food is lost or drastically reduced, leaving them more reliant on us for continued care.
Spread of Wildlife Diseases
It is important to resist the urge to feed wildlife as this can lead to the spread of wildlife diseases. This is because when animals are regularly fed, they gather together in large groups.
This increases the risk of disease spreading, as a disease can easily be passed between members of the group. Moreover, animals that are fed human food lack the essential vitamins and minerals they need to be healthy, often leading to malnutrition.
Long-term Damage to Harmful Interactions
When people feed wild animals, the animals begin to view humans as a source of food and can become overly dependent, attempting to approach and even attack humans.
Wild animals that become accustomed to human food can become malnourished because they become unbalanced in the nutrients they receive and turn to food supplied by people rather than searching for their own.
Finally, when animals end up in unnatural environments, it interferes with their natural behaviors. They may end up crowding important habitats and other wildlife, potentially causing an imbalance in the wildlife population.
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Avoid Feeding Wildlife Starting Today
Wildlife should be respected and enjoyed from a distance. Feeding wildlife can have detrimental impacts on their health, as well as their natural behavior. For these reasons, it is important to refrain from feeding wildlife directly.
Embrace the nature around you and observe wildlife in a responsible manner. Enjoy life without feeding wildlife!
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