Keep your snacks to yourself
Wildlife can find their own food.
While it may seem helpful to share snacks with wildlife, feeding wild animals does much more harm than good and is illegal for many species. When you feed wild animals, they begin to associate human beings with food, which causes them to harass humans for more. These animals may become beggars and nuisances, causing property damage and harm to humans. Animals can become aggressive when seeking food, which can result in injury or death for humans. They may also begin to lose their natural scavenging abilities, making them more susceptible to predators.
A western gull snacks on a sea star.
Photo: NOAA
In the end, it’s the animal that often pays the price for our attempts to help. For the safety of people and wildlife please keep your snacks to yourself!
A green sea turtle visits a turtle cleaning station where fish eat algae and parasites from its shell.
Photo: Matt McIntosh/NOAA
A white ibis catches a crab.
Photo: Matt McIntosh/NOAA
Additional Resources
- Risks to Wildlife From People - National Parks Service
- FAQ: Feeding or Harassing Marine Mammals in the Wild
Take the Pledge
Respect. Protect. Enjoy.
#WildSanctuaries