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I'm going to say something that people probably won't want to hear, but I hope to justify it and convince others of it as well. Don't feed wild animals. The d
by codezero 8y ago
I'm going to say something that people probably won't want to hear, but I hope to justify it and convince others of it as well.
Don't feed wild animals.
The difference between a pet, and a wild animal is that a pet owner takes responsibility for the wellbeing and actions of a pet.
Feeding wild animals is detrimental to their wellbeing. They become accustomed to people, and not all people are nice to animals. You won't always live there, and they may come to depend on your good will. Also, you very likely don't know what their necessary macronutrients are, and they may very well remove a large portion of their natural nutrients to just eat peanuts, or bread, or what ever you're feeding them. This is also probably not healthy for them.
They also suppress their natural instinct, which can get them killed in a number of ways, whether it's by doing riskier things, like crossing a street more often to get to the source of free food, or by behaving in a way that makes it easier for predators to prey on them.
If you've been to a national park in the US, you might have noticed how accustomed squirrels and some other animals are to people. This isn't because one person feeds them, but because a few people of the many feed them, and it's enough to change their behavior. Nobody takes responsibility for the consequences of this, so I think people should blanket avoid doing it.
To be clear, feeding animals doesn't make you a bad person, I'm not trying to condemn anyone, if anything it shows a lot of empathy, but I also think it is short sighted.
If an animal is in distress, there are tons of resources, at least in the US to help. I've saved a crow and a seagull, and taken them to wild animal rescue centers, and I encourage others to do the same.
If you're in the Bay Area, I highly recommend both visiting Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital, and considering it if you find an animal in distress: https://lindsaywildlife.org/ https://lindsaywildlife.org/
You can also usually contact the Human Society, or search, there are a lot of independent operators, I took the seagull I found to Native Animal Rescue in Santa Cruz: https://www.nativeanimalrescue.org https://www.nativeanimalrescue.org
- joshschreuder 8y agoI thought it was quite common to see signs up telling people not to feed wild animals, particularly in very populated areas like city parks? I'm guessing it is fairly common knowledge already and not that unpopular of a statement for you to say. With that said, it is fun to feed animals, so I can understand the appeal. We used to take loaves of stale bread and feed the ducks down by the lake growing up.
- paranoidrobot 8y agoThere are those signs. There's also plenty of advice from wildlife experts not to feed wild animals. The exception being that it's ok to have a garden which contains food providing trees/shrubs/etc. But people get offended when you tell them to stop doing it - "Oh, it's no harm, it's just a bit of fun". You get a similar response when you tell people they're assholes for letting their cats roam - despite cats being massive killers of wildlife.
- codezero 8y agoThe sign doesn’t communicate why it’s bad. As is clear from my comment I think a lot of context matters. Also, some people don’t give a shit. I was a bit defensive because I replied directly to a comment about someone who feeds wild animals and I wanted to avoid being accusatory and confrontational while still getting a point across.
- codezero 8y ago* late edit: Humane Society
- belorn 8y ago> I've saved a crow and a seagull, and taken them to wild animal rescue centers This is emphatic behavior, but do know that in almost all circumstances the result is that the animal rescue centers will euthanized animals that is not endangered, has protected status, or has local biological diversity benefits. Seagulls and feral pigeons in particular are very unlikely to leave the center alive. This also happens for larger animals like seals pups that end up separated from their mothers. From the mouth of a animal rescue centers here in Sweden, if one is lucky a eagle will see it and nature will take care of it. Only if sufficient numbers of day has passed and the pup is in clear agony will they pick it up to then have it euthanized at the center. That said, animals should not suffer unnecessary so "rescue" in that context is still a good thing.
- codezero 8y agoAbsolutely. The crow I rescued was euthanized. They give you a number to check on the animals you bring in. That said, they provide great care and release thousands of rescues each year, and if they are too injured they at least get a humane end. It tears me up watching an animal die slowly.
- 2muchcoffeeman 8y agoYes. Don’t ignore signs and guidance from local wildlife authorities. Some animals can really fuck you up. Or you might be messing with a protected species. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-02/agro-kangaroos-addicted-to-carrots-attack-tourists/9716612?pfmredir=sm https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-02/agro-kangaroos-addict...
- evanb 8y agoIf you're in the Bay Area you should also visit the Marine Mammal Center in Marin. Make sure you time it so you can take the backstage tour!
- masonic 8y agoLindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital Interesting that they have a recurring event like "Nightlife" at the Academy of Sciences: https://lindsaywildlife.org/general/kisstail-2/ https://lindsaywildlife.org/general/kisstail-2/