As a wildlife biologist, one of my biggest pet peeves (no pun intended) is seeing people feeding wild animals, inadvertently or intentionally. It happens all the time, even in National Parks. Yet it is illegal and harmful to the animal's health. A bird can die of starvation with a belly full of people food. Bread, oreo cookies, potato chips, etc. are not found in nature. Animals have no way of digesting such foods let alone subsisting on such a diet. They must learn to forage for healthy, natural foods if they are to survive. People are teaching them bad habits. This doesn't just apply to birds. Enticing deer with a handout through the open car window only brings them closer to roads where they are more likely to get hit. Bears pay the price by being relocated or more likely shot when they become too familar with food left out by campers. Though we may want that close up photo, or maybe we just want to be able to pet the cute baby deer or the ducks and gulls may look like they are begging for that white bread in your hand, please refrain. We are doing animals more harm than good. Help keep wildlife wild.

Kim Mike
Port Angeles, Wa
ploafman at tenforward.com
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