Risks to Wildlife from People

Smart Wildlife Watching Protects Wildlife

Watching wildlife safely is the responsibleness of all park visitors. When you visit national parks, y'all are entering animals' habitat and should conduct similar a polite invitee. In fact, the rubber and health of wild fauna depends on the thoughtful choices park visitors make.

Wildlife face some serious risks when humans get close plenty to interact with them:

Man too close to wildlife
A visitor taking photos also close to a mountain goat

NPS Photo / Jim Peaco

Consequences of Physical Contact with People
Although many wildlife announced tame, they are not. It's best to resist the urge to pet and concord them. In fact, some animals, from bison to birds, may be rejected by their parents if they have contact with humans, making them more vulnerable to predators or other harmful situations. In add-on, wildlife can get injured when they endeavor to escape people who take gotten too close, peculiarly if they are almost human structures or roads. Wild fauna that get used to being around people and adult areas such every bit picnic areas and campgrounds as well are at greater risk of eating human nutrient and catching diseases from people and pets or giving diseases to humans and their pets.

Visitor walking two dogs
A visitor walks her dogs at Greatcoat Cod National Seashore

NPS Photo

Fatal Diseases from People and Pets
Our domestic pets tin can also pose existent dangers to the wildlife within parks. Both pets and people may take diseases that they can give to wildlife. Sadly, there are many examples of wildlife in parks dying from diseases given to them by pets and humans. For case, heartworm from dogs and cats can impale wildlife such every bit foxes, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, and mount lions. Black-footed ferrets die from the flu if humans are sick and go too close. Wolves can exist infected past canine parvovirus from dogs. Pro tip: Keeping your pets vaccinated can go on them and wildlife safe.

Hanging food
Company hanging food loftier to a higher place the ground

NPS Photo / Jacob Westward. Frank

Dangers of Eating Human being Food and/or Trash

When visitors intentionally or unintentionally feed wildlife, it has negative effects on the wildlife. Whether visitors offer scraps and crumbs to birds and other wild animals or simply forget to secure their trash, risks to wild animals from eating homo nutrient are peachy. Some of the dangers to wildlife include shorter lives and poor nourishment. The best way for wildlife to have a healthy diet and live healthy lives is to hunt, forage, or scavenge for nutrient as they would naturally. Relying on human being food (which includes trash left out!) puts wild animals at risk.

Learning to eat human food can too change the manner that wildlife interact with people. The process of wild animals condign used to and attracted to homo food is called "food workout." Food-conditioned animals actively seek out man food, which in the worst cases tin make them dangerous. Ground squirrels can bite, deer have sharp hooves and antlers, and bears can rip into cars or tents in search of nutrient. Unfortunately, food-conditioned wild animals that get too aggressive must be removed, which can include being humanely killed past park managers for condom reasons.

Information technology's important to understand how your actions may affect the wildlife in parks. When y'all respect wildlife past following the 7 Ways to Safely Picket Wildlife, y'all aid protect park animals and yourself.

Concluding updated: July 15, 2019