But what problems does this way of “connecting” with nature cause?
In this article we tell you everything you need to know:
Finding nutritious food in nature is quite complicated, so when humans offer our succulent food to these animals, they do not hesitate to feed on them. In addition, the more we feed them, the less food they seek on their own and they end up depending excessively on man, they begin to lose their fear of us, something that makes certain populations of animals easier for poachers to hunt, so they can be a direct threat to its conservation.
These animals even come close to urban areas where there is an even greater presence of food. Cases occur throughout the planet, like some primates in Asia. Rhesus macaques have generated several altercations in countries such as China or India. Crab-eating macaques in Thailand or baboons in Saudi Arabia are just a few examples of this, along with Gibraltar macaques or chimpanzees in Tanzania.
This also occurs with other mammals such as bears, kangaroos, opossums or raccoons, joined by marine mammals such as dolphins or sea lions off the coast of the United States.
The closeness and interaction of these animals with people can increase the spread of diseases transmitted to people, or zoonoses.
As with humans, disease transmission also occurs in the opposite direction: human diseases can affect wild animals, greatly reducing their life expectancy. This has led many parks to prohibit getting too close to wild animals, as is the case with gorillas in Africa, which are especially sensitive to respiratory diseases.
In addition, the food that we usually give them does not correspond to their wild diet, and sometimes it may even contain elements that are toxic to the species.
But, this is not a problem that only affects the health of animals, but also their behavior. The presence of food not only increases attacks on tourists, but also among animals. This competition for the food that people give to the fauna can be the cause of serious fights that endanger the lives of certain group individuals.
That is why perhaps we should stop to reflect before giving food to certain animals, and not be complicit in all these problems for nature.
