If you are an animal lover, you must enjoy feeding animals around your home, and it is a truly cherishable act. Most people do not realize there are two sides to feeding the wild, and you must choose your stance to protect the animals.
Benefits of Feeding Wildlife
Naturally pleased, you would love sharing your food with the animals near your home. Let us look at the benefits of feeding wild creatures.
Wildlife Protects Your Home
You must have noticed how quickly animals become friends with humans when animals are treated well. Sometimes, animals cannot find nourishment in the wild, so your feed helps them grow better. As the wildlife continues to be fed by you,
For instance, deer are fed by a deer feeder, carnivores eat meat, and birds are given bird feed. Birds help control pest attacks in your garden. If you feed birds regularly, you do not have to worry about constantly spraying pesticide spray that is also harmful to your plants.
Preserving Nature
When you provide food for wildlife around your place, they are more likely to survive. Some animals die of starvation in their habitat, and your feed for the wildlife may help conserve them. Also, when you are in close contact with animal species, it creates a bond.
You observe their eating, sleeping, and activity patterns that help you realize wildlife’s problems in their natural habitat. Moreover, many endangered species living in the forests are likely to go extinct in a few years. There are ways where you can keep them close to your territory and away from hunting spots. By this, you can save them from dying or killing.
The food chain works miraculously. The cycle consists of different level of consumers that eventually leads to a balanced ecosystem. If an animal specie reduces in number, the whole food web is severely affected, resulting in the loss of numerous animals’ lives. Your feeding can help the ecosystem to go towards equilibrium.
Drawbacks of Feeding Wildlife
There are advantages linked to feeding wildlife near your residence, but there are some drawbacks you should be aware of.
Survival of the Fittest
The theory of Charles Darwin stated that the stronger organisms adapt to their surroundings, the higher the probability of them surviving and reproducing. When weak animals leave their natural homes, the dominant ones seek advantage and grow stronger. This is because the weak animals are attracted to your home as you provide them with eating supplies.
Danger Posed By Wildlife
Not all animals are gentle creatures. When you continuously feed wild animals, they tend to become habitual of your feed. They will start demanding it, and if you deny it, they can act aggressively.
What Should You Do?
If you will feed wild creatures around your house, you must know some tips. Such tips are going to assist you in staying out of trouble.
Do Not Overfeed
Yes, you may feed wild animals more than you are required to, resulting in animals’ reliance on you as the primary feeder. As the animals receive food without any hassle, they will be lazy to find food themselves and call out your door every morning. This can be irritating for you.
Feed Away From Home
Putting the feeding container a few miles away from your home is a safe idea. Animals do not like interference from humans sometimes. Also, the animals would not crawl to your home to ask for food as you will place the feed far from home. This way, you will be safe.
Prefer Natural Nutrition
Buying cat feed for a stray cat is easier than natural foods. However, providing natural nutrition like meat is better. Specific feeds can cause animals to develop habits towards them so that they may reject organic foods.
Please avoid human food because it is processed and can harm animals. Moreover, please do not feed very old and unhealthy food as it may develop diseases.
Conclusion
Providing food to wildlife near your accommodation is a kind act, but it must be done fairly. You must be aware of feeding proper food with the proper guidelines to ensure safety for yourself and the ecosystem.
