Lisa Chellman (12/2): “It’s natural to want to feed wildlife after disasters. But it may not help” by Samantha Finnerty

I found this article extremely interesting as I never knew trying to feed wildlife after natural disasters may not actually be beneficial for them. This article focuses on Australia as an example as they frequently have natural disasters like forest fires and floods. There is little evidence to show trying to feed these animals or give them water actually helps them in the long run. However, is it still better to try so that the animals can quickly recover and survive? It seems like people should just completely avoid trying to feed the animals after disasters. This is because the animals are more likely to become dependent on people for food and less likely to go out and find it on their own. This will then harm them in the long run and lower their chances of recovering quickly. People also run the risk of attracting other predators to the feeding sites, so the injured and weak animals will have no chance to defend themselves. This relates to our class conversation as we frequently discussed the importance of enjoying Earth’s resources, but ensuring we protect it. This includes protecting the species that are on Earth. Lastly, although there hasn’t been a ton of research done on feeding the animals after disasters, it seems like the best option would be to leave them alone. 

https://theconversation.com/its-natural-to-want-to-feed-wildlife-after-disasters-but-it-may-not-help-193863

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