One of the nice things about living in Florida is the abundance of fauna around. Animals everywhere. One of the not-so-nice things about living in Florida is that people don't seem to realize that those animals are wild...no matter how cute they are.
This leads to problems with animals losing their natural concern for humans...and in the case of alligators, is a very bad thing. It isn't so much that the alligator will eat a person - that is incredibly unlikely. But they will be termed "nuisance" animals and that leads to the animal's destruction.
I am thinking about this because in the pond behind my apartment is a gator. He's a cute little fella (not knowing the actual gender, I've assigned it as male). But people have been feeding him...and he's no longer afraid when humans get close. This isn't bad for me - I'm about 3' taller than he would be if he stood on tail-tip...but there are a lot of children and small pets in the complex..and he's just going to get bigger.
So do me a favor: Next time you see a wild animal - Don't Feed It!
Thank you and enjoy your weekend.
This leads to problems with animals losing their natural concern for humans...and in the case of alligators, is a very bad thing. It isn't so much that the alligator will eat a person - that is incredibly unlikely. But they will be termed "nuisance" animals and that leads to the animal's destruction.
I am thinking about this because in the pond behind my apartment is a gator. He's a cute little fella (not knowing the actual gender, I've assigned it as male). But people have been feeding him...and he's no longer afraid when humans get close. This isn't bad for me - I'm about 3' taller than he would be if he stood on tail-tip...but there are a lot of children and small pets in the complex..and he's just going to get bigger.
So do me a favor: Next time you see a wild animal - Don't Feed It!
Thank you and enjoy your weekend.
rogue:
Thank you <3
jaenor:
As someone who has worked with animals, as someone who has worked in theme parks, and as someone who spends a good bit of time in the outdoors, this is a huge pet peeve of mine. I despise animals that have become so inured to the presence of people that they come to see them as a source of food. (Get a basket of fries at any theme park or beach in the world and watch the reaction from the gulls...)