Essay On Animal Feeding

A rather selfish goal, positive in most humans' opinion and negative from the animals', is that, especially bird feeders, the act of feeding draws the animals to one specific spot. This, especially in case of territorial ones, causes a great deal of unnecessary stress and competition, while simultaneously providing a source of food, at times thoroughout the whole year, so many people deem the act to be positive, while on a larger scale it's actually not beneficial for the animal.

This continuous supply of a specific feeding source has another desirable side effect however – animals will get used to it, turning „addicted” or „lazy”. Natural forage intake might be near to zero. (Wiersema, 1974) This happens where they are provided for on a daily basis, with the food being available at all times. Usually animals will also start to gather before feeding time. Sooner or later, they will either be too lazy to find a natural source of food, or the younglings, that grew up by using this supplemented food source will have no idea whatsover how to find what should be part of their natural diet if the food supply will be cut in that area, they grew up believing that at feeding sites they'll always find resources. This will result in the starvation of the animal as it is no longer self-sufficient.

At times,

Predatory and omnivorous mammals, like rats, migh also appear at feeders in hopes of food, either preying off of the birds, or eating the food put out for them. (Clout and Saunders, 1995) This allows the pests via additional and easier food sources to increase in numbers, too. (Marzluff and Neatherlin, 2006) At feeders or baiting sites of larger game, there are countries where other large mammals can appear. There was a case in Louisiana where a black bear had to be removed from its original habitat and placed into the Mississippi Zoological Park, as it has become used to feeding on baits placed out for other