While feeding birds can be a benign practice, feeding other animals can put them at risk.
We do not recommend feeding wild animals for a number of reasons:
- The animal may become too dependent on you and if you move away it may have difficulty finding its natural food.
- The food you are feeding may not be nutritionally good for the animal and may cause it to have health problems.
- The animal, especially if young, may become tame and used to being around humans. This may cause it to be harmed by uncaring humans (or killed by hunters) due to its lack of fear of humans.
- The animal may go on to a neighbouring property and build a den in the roof or under a house much to the annoyance of the neighbour. This may result in the neighbour employing a Pest Control Company to remove the animal and her young. If relocated, this causes the animal a lot of stress and is often fatal due to her being unable to find food, being in territorial disputes and having no den for her young.
- If the animal is considered a danger to humans or pets it may be killed by conservation officers responding to public concern that the animal has become habituated to human contact.
