Have you ever been walking through the woods on your favorite trail and see the most adorable fuzzy squirrel looking up at you? It’s uncanny how close some animals can get, isn’t it? If an animal isn’t afraid of you, this is actually a bad sign. This probably means that too many people have been feeding it. You might think that there can’t be any harm in giving a living creature a food source, but there are several drawbacks to feeding wild animals.
Our Food Isn’t Healthy
In all honesty, a lot of the foods we consume aren’t even healthy enough for us to consume. Even if you aren’t feeding a duck a burger from your favorite fast-food chain, giving animals human food isn’t fit for them because that food isn’t made for them. These types of foods don’t have the nutrients that the animals need, and their bodies don’t digest the same as us.
Concentrated Population
Have you ever been to a Black Friday Sale at a Walmart? That kind of crowd is dangerous, and make a lot of people angry and can bring violence upon the situation. The same goes for if you are feeding a group of animals in a park. It may seem really awesome to feel like a Disney character and have the animals flock to you, but this is actually causing the animals to become crowded, agitated, and more likely to cause each other injuries.
If animals know that there is an area where people will feed them, they will stay there. This can cause overpopulation in the area, which can damage the delicate balance of the ecosystem. Having a higher population of a particular animal also increases the risk of spreading disease, especially if they are in the mindset to fight a human over food.
They Become Too Friendly
We are apex predators, animals should fear us. Animals who aren’t scared of humans can become a problem, even if they aren’t seemingly dangerous. Some of these animals may not be vicious, but they do carry diseases. Being nearby these diseases increases your chance of catching it. You especially don’t want predators to get familiar with people. One wrong move and a coyote looking for scraps could cause severe injuries.
The Depend on Us
We used to be hunters and gatherers before the idea of agriculture came around. We used to go out and hunt, find food for our communities, and be self-sustainable. Now we have evolved into a community that depends on one another for survival, which can also happen to animals. If you are feeding animals in the wild, they can become used to the idea that humans mean food, which means they don’t need to search for it anymore. This way of feeding isn’t a sustainable way to survive, so please, try to keep your treats to yourself.
Has the overpopulation of an animal caused issues on your property? Give us a call or e-mail today to find out how we can help you!
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