These are Gray Jays (Perisoreus canadensis), or perhaps more commonly called Camp Robbers. They're cute, friendly and totally used to humans. Awesome. Not a threat, right? Wrong.
It's hard to hike any of the Washington classic hiked without being dived bombed by these guys when you're just trying to eat your lunch in peace. Leave No Trace's sixth principle is "Respect Wildlife" (my favorite principle). When feeding, posing for photos with, and approaching wildlife, you are not giving them the respect they deserve. When we are in the wilderness, we need to remember that we are guests in someone else's home. Here are X reasons that feeding wildlife should be reserved for actual Disney princesses (i.e. in cartoon movies).
1. Causes injuries to animals
Think about it- when you walk into a restaurant or see your grandma, you know that you'll be getting fed. You've been conditioned to related certain places and people with food. Similarly, wildlife makes these connections as well, which is why it's hard to eat a granola bar on a rock in the woods without having a chipmonk practically crawl into your lap.
Animals are drawn to places where they get fed- popular pull offs, parking lots, mountain summits and popular view lookouts. The problem here begins when they begin approaching people who may not have the best intentions, or when they get a little reckless around cars. While animals make the connection between humans and food, they often don't make the connection between cars and injury (or death) until it's too late.
2. Causes injuries to you (or other humans)
A quick google search of "bison goring" will yield thousands of results. Mostly of tourists in national parks. Often, these incidents could have easily been avoided by leaving the recommended 50 yards of distance between humans and animals. Large creatures carry obvious threats- goring, trampling, maling, etc. You get the point. But our smaller wild friends can also be a threat. Lots of birds and furry critters carry diseases that can be harmful to humans.
When someone takes a selfie with a bison or bear or elk or moose or bigfoot and posts it online, they are setting a dangerous precedent. Seeing photos like this, and then reading the comments, usually full of heart-eye emojis and words of encouragement, tells the public that these behaviors are okay. It encourages others to do the same, which can create more stories like this.
3. Human presence can change animal behaviors
Just like you would most likely react poorly to a deer showing up in your house and drinking from your faucet, wildlife react negatively to human presence. By pitching your tent next to a beautiful lake, you may be causing wildlife to divert it's usual route to get water- or discouraging it entirely. Scaring a bear away from it's favorite feeding grounds may cause it to think twice about returning.
A good rule of thumb for this- if an animal changes it's behavior because of your presence, you are too close. Back up, find another campsite, keep hiking on... Just leave. Your recreational enjoyment of nature should not trump an animal's survival and wellbeing.
4. Causes wildlife to rely on handouts
When you rewarding a begging animal with a big of your granola or sandwich, you are teaching it that it does not need to find food on it's own. This can be detrimental to an animals survival once it finds itself in an area or season where begging doesn't work- think popular areas that close down in the summer.
This can lead to starvation or malnutrition of wildlife who are accustomed to handouts. Don't be part of the reason an animal forgets to fend for itself.
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| Gray Jays often approach humans, "begging" for food. Shooing them away often doesn't work, but feeding them is not the answer. |
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