The hidden dangers of feeding wild animals
Researchers at the University of California San Diego say that giving food to wild animals -- especially elephants -- can change their behavior in dangerous ways.
"Many people, especially foreign tourists, think Asian elephants are tame and docile, like domestic pets," lead author Shermin de Silva, a conservation scientist and professor of biological sciences, said in a UCSD news release.
"They don't realize these are formidable wild animals and try to get too close in order to take photographs or selfies, which can end badly for both parties," she added.
The study, published in the journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence, looked at 18 years of data from elephant tourism areas in Sri Lanka and India.
In Sri Lanka's Udawalawe National Park, researchers found that dozens of elephants had learned to "beg" for food near fences and tourist vehicles.
One male elephant, nicknamed Rambo, became a local celebrity for this behavior.
The impact? Tragic.
Several people were killed or injured in elephant encounters, the news release said.
At least three elephants were killed, and some animals ate plastic bags or other waste while trying to get food.
In India's Sigur region, researchers tracked 11 male elephants who were fed by people. Four of animals later died, likely because of humans.
"Food-conditioned animals can become dangerous, resulting in the injury and death of wildlife, people or both," the researchers wrote.
"These negative impacts counteract potential benefits," they added.
Feeding wild elephants may cause them to lose their natural foraging skills, especially if they start relying on sugary snacks or processed food, researchers said.
It may also raise the risk of disease spreading between people and animals.
While most tourists mean well, experts say the best thing to do is never feed wild animals, no matter how safe it seems.
Feeding animals might feel like helping a friend, the researchers explained.
"But this encourages wild animals to seek food from people, attracting them to areas that can put themselves or people at risk," de Silva said.
"It can be a conduit for disease transfer between species," she said. "Such feeding can also cause animals to lose their ability to forage for themselves if the behavior becomes prevalent, especially with young animals."
More information
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has more on the potential harm in feeding wildlife.
Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
4 hours ago
- CNN
Meet the new species of giant stick insect that weighs about the same as a golf ball
Animal stories Oceania GolfFacebookTweetLink Follow In a remote rainforest in Australia, home to deadly snakes, spiders and creepy-crawlies, scientists have discovered a new species of stick insect they believe is the heaviest ever found in the country. The new species weighs 44 grams (1.55 oz), about the same as a golf ball, and is 40 cm (15.75 inches) long. James Cook University's Angus Emmott, who helped identify the new Acrophylla alta species, said the creature's large size could be an evolutionary response to its cool, wet habitat. 'Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that's why they've developed into this large insect over millions of years,' he was quoted as saying in a media release. 'From what we know to date, this is Australia's heaviest insect.' The new stick insect was discovered in the canopies of the mountainous Wet Tropics region of Far North Queensland, in Australia's northeast. The remote habitat was probably also why it had remained undiscovered for so long, Emmott said. 'It's restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy. So, unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them,' he said. The stick insect's distinctive eggs also helped scientists identify it as a new species. 'Every species of stick insect has their own distinct egg style,' Emmott said. 'They've all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes. Even the caps on them are all very unique.' Two specimens have been added to the Queensland Museum's collection to aid future research.
CNN
4 hours ago
- CNN
Meet the new species of giant stick insect that weighs about the same as a golf ball
Animal stories Oceania GolfFacebookTweetLink Follow In a remote rainforest in Australia, home to deadly snakes, spiders and creepy-crawlies, scientists have discovered a new species of stick insect they believe is the heaviest ever found in the country. The new species weighs 44 grams (1.55 oz), about the same as a golf ball, and is 40 cm (15.75 inches) long. James Cook University's Angus Emmott, who helped identify the new Acrophylla alta species, said the creature's large size could be an evolutionary response to its cool, wet habitat. 'Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that's why they've developed into this large insect over millions of years,' he was quoted as saying in a media release. 'From what we know to date, this is Australia's heaviest insect.' The new stick insect was discovered in the canopies of the mountainous Wet Tropics region of Far North Queensland, in Australia's northeast. The remote habitat was probably also why it had remained undiscovered for so long, Emmott said. 'It's restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy. So, unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them,' he said. The stick insect's distinctive eggs also helped scientists identify it as a new species. 'Every species of stick insect has their own distinct egg style,' Emmott said. 'They've all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes. Even the caps on them are all very unique.' Two specimens have been added to the Queensland Museum's collection to aid future research.
CNN
4 hours ago
- CNN
Meet the new species of giant stick insect that weighs about the same as a golf ball
Animal stories Oceania GolfFacebookTweetLink Follow In a remote rainforest in Australia, home to deadly snakes, spiders and creepy-crawlies, scientists have discovered a new species of stick insect they believe is the heaviest ever found in the country. The new species weighs 44 grams (1.55 oz), about the same as a golf ball, and is 40 cm (15.75 inches) long. James Cook University's Angus Emmott, who helped identify the new Acrophylla alta species, said the creature's large size could be an evolutionary response to its cool, wet habitat. 'Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that's why they've developed into this large insect over millions of years,' he was quoted as saying in a media release. 'From what we know to date, this is Australia's heaviest insect.' The new stick insect was discovered in the canopies of the mountainous Wet Tropics region of Far North Queensland, in Australia's northeast. The remote habitat was probably also why it had remained undiscovered for so long, Emmott said. 'It's restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy. So, unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them,' he said. The stick insect's distinctive eggs also helped scientists identify it as a new species. 'Every species of stick insect has their own distinct egg style,' Emmott said. 'They've all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes. Even the caps on them are all very unique.' Two specimens have been added to the Queensland Museum's collection to aid future research.
