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Poll: Feeding wildlife? Are you for it or against it?


henk

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I know this is quite a delicate subject, however im really curious

how you guys think about this subject.

 

Im not talking about feeders in someones backyard but about feeding

animals in a natural environment. Personally i am against it.

 

Greetings,

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Additionally, I assume this question was asked in context of photographing wild animals by attracting them with food.

 

Most truly wild animals won't feed on something they are not sure of. Exceptions are some fishes etc. I believe.

 

I do agree that feeding wild animals in an ongoing fashion will probably do more harm than good by making them dependent.

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Arnab,

 

Your right context is too broad, i had a previous discussion about this, which didnt go very well. I have some information about pros and cons to bird feeders, lets say the context would be feeding birds in a natural environment, regularily filled feeders.

 

short summary

 

http://outdoors.mainetoday.com/naturewatching/birding021124.shtml

 

research

 

http://www.birdfeeding.org/pdf_files/DYN2001.pdf

 

Greetings,

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Here in Pa.it is popular to feed deer corn in established feeders usually located near road access. Lot'sa pros & cons about this, except for times of deep snow when most opinions favor it. However, due to a potential for chronic wasting disease, feeding deer may be discouraged. Because animals congregating unnaturally at a feeder may contract the disease. BTW, CWD has not been recorded yet in Pa.

Any disease may be spread quickly whenever animals, birds or humans gather together.

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Curt,

 

Yup, feeders are a source of spreading deseases, page 10/21 of the research link i put in here is about that.

 

An artificial foodsource changes habitat preferences of animals, in this case near roads.... :(

 

Greetings,

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I think the real issue is whether so-called wildlife photographers are willing to take the time to research animals/birds habits and patterns, and learn to stalk and get close to the animals/birds without significantly disturbing them, or take the lazy (human nature) approach and bait the animal to approach closer than it normally would.

 

My dog is excessively obedient when she knows I've got a treat in my hand, otherwise, it's up to her whims. But she's not a wild animal that deserves our respect and to not be hassled unnecessarily by us just because we want to take a photo of it.

 

Most good wildlife photographers will take the time to learn and properly stalk animals to get their shots. Most amateurs get so excited about seeing an animal within camera range that they'll trample rare lilys to get a shot. But then you have pro shooters who openly admit to baiting animals with peanut butter and putting spiders and snakes into the frezzer to slow them down before photographing them.

 

I guess everybidy has their own levels of conscious that they can live with, but many people abandon their values in the heat of the moment.

 

Get a big lens, get a blind or learn to approach wildlife stealthily, and don't be chuckin' peanut butter sandwiches out the car window to lure something closer. These are my rules, and if I can't get a shot within these parameters, I enjoy viewing the animal through binos. But I'm not a pro either.

 

My two cents.

 

CB

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On putting a deer feeder near road access, I see a much bigger danger than CWD, namely, deer getting nailed by road traffic moving back and forth from the feeder.

 

Generally, I see pros and cons. Con: Introducing an artificial food source changes behavior patterns. Having critters gather at a feeder increases the likelihood of spreading disease, as well as creating a buffet for predators and/or shooting gallery for hunters. Since humans will seldom keep a feeder that is remote and far removed from civilization, there are a host of problems that will arise when the critters shift their habitat closer to ours. See my comment on deer getting nailed by traffic for one example.

 

Pro: Since human develop dedstroys wildlife habitat on a daily basis, providing food may be the best way to keep a balance and ensure survival of some species.

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Thanks for the great responses, it really makes we feel good to know some of you really think about these things.

 

Christian,

 

"Pro: Since human develop dedstroys wildlife habitat on a daily basis, providing food may be the best way to keep a balance and ensure survival of some species."

 

The intention to return these fed animals to a natural environment makes all the difference to me, in this case.

 

Habitat quantity as opposed to habitat quality is much more difficult to maintain. It always amazes me that if you tell the general public we have to preserve the nature we still have, allmost everyone would agree. Tell someone they cant build a house because a rare hamster lives there and well...

 

Greetings,

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I keep 1 sunflower seed & 1 suet feeder (both are squirrel proof, the suet feeder is starling proof) plus a bird bath (water is a great benefit for birds even in the winter). Something I've noticed is how different bird species will augment their diet a bit with feeder use, but still spend the large majority of their time foraging in the trees.

 

Besides that, no I never feed wild animals. Just got back from Costa Rica where they post long lists of reasons why NOT to feed the monkeys bananas... though some people persist nonetheless.

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Feeding wild animals does more harm than good. It can lead to abandonment of natural sources of food in favor of "man made" sources i.e.the polar bears of Churchill Canada which see to prefer to feed at the town dump rather than hunt natural prey out on the ice flows.

This can and often leads to confrontation between the bears and the local population.One which the bear almost always loses.

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Obviously things are different in the USA but I can't see the problem in putting out road kill rabbits for a couple of days then trying to get photos of a buzzard on the next. I would probably do this irregularly to photograph bears or wolves in the wild if we still had them.

 

Again, obviously trying to feed peanut butter sandwhiches in yellowstone would be stupid. Where you draw the line depends on the local conditions.

 

Harry.

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Thank you very much for the responses,

 

I hope alot more people will understand the importance of reducing peoples invluence in the 'natural' areas we still have. They are after all the home to so many (threathened) species.

 

As far as naturephotography is concerned i think including meaningfull habitat improves pictures very much.

 

Greetings,

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the answer is obvious. we all know it is not good for the animals and for the humans to feed wild animals. some photographers decide that their photograph is more important than everyones safety. so they endanger themselves, other humans and the animals by feeding them. its stupidity. i am amazed at how people treat animals in our national parks. its just lack of respect for these wild animals. people should learn patience. easier said than done and im no saint, but what i continually see in national parks has me hot on this issue. if you think your photograph is really that important, think again because it probably isnt.
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If you start feeding the large carnivores like bears an wolves, you pretty much ensure their death.

 

Not by starvation, but by wildlife officials. They will quickly see humans as a source of food and start wandering into towns, campsites, etc. looking for food.

 

Then someone will complain and they will be shot.

 

Feeding ANY wildlife just so you can be lazy is a bad idea.

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I frequent the Everglades for my photograpy. After seeing what the tourists do to the aligators, I strongly object to any feeding of wildlife. Why are we different than the jerk who throws a chicken leg to the aligator so that he can get a snapshot of it opening it's mouth? The 'gators associate humans with food, they become aggresive, they eat a pet dog (seen it happen several times myself - not in the park but...), the wildlife officers have to catch it and tote it away. I think they should tote the humans away who feed them. Works the same with Bears out west.

 

Are birds different? or Deer? Maybe, certainly back yard feeding stations are a bit different. Maybe a feeding station by a blind (no association with the humans, I guess). I'll leave those discussions to others.

 

Just another thing though, I have a friend who has a house where a 'pet' Great White Heron visits. The Heron wanders into the house for a handout about 9:00am, then on to the neighbor's house, and so on, though his rounds. They all feed him and bring him in. Maybe it doesn't harm him, I don't know, but it sure is pathetic if you love the sight of the elegant Heron posed at the water, or slowly winging through the 'glades.

 

I'm just again it in general.

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tom, if you think that doesnt hurt the heron think again. when that heron has offspring it wont teach its offspring to hunt for food, it will teach it to look for a handout. then their offspring will do the same and then their offspring will do the same etc. thats what has happened to the black bears in the adirondacks in ny. they got so accustomed to eating out of feeders and at the dumps that instead of teaching their young to forage they taught their young to eat at the dumps. now the dumps are closed and these poor animals dont know what to do. its so very sad.
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