It would appear to be a matter of commonsense – feeding wild animals in the vicinity of Terra Nova National Park is a bad idea.
But Kevin Robinson, a resource conservation manager for Parks Canada, said not all people are aware of this mantra.
“A lot of people will just come up the highway and see a bear on the side of the road, and they’ll stop and take a picture,” said Mr. Robinson. “But then there are people who will literally get out of their vehicle, open the trunk, get a slice of bread, and chuck out the bread so the bear comes closer to the vehicle and they’ll get a better picture.”
Whether it’s bread, peanut butter, or apples, the potential impact on the bear’s life and the safety of travellers is the same. Animals that become dependent on people for food can become unpredictable and dangerous.
“The natural instinct of a bear, coyote, or any animal, is to stay away from humans. They’re pretty shy, and they have their own food source. The minute you start feeding the animals, they become more and more habituated to human food, and therefore they become less afraid of humans.”
“In a matter of a second, they can turn on you.” - Kevin Robinson
Having a 500-pound black bear afraid of your presence sounds preferable to having one willing to approach you expecting food.
“Just because they become habituated to the food doesn’t mean they’re not wild,” said Mr. Robinson. “In a matter of a second, they can turn on you. It’s not advisable for people to feed animals – for one, because of their personal safety, and two, for the safety of the animal.”
For the animals in scenarios where human food becomes a common dietary element, Mr. Robinson said they can become less dependent on their traditional food sources and enter campgrounds.
“Then we have to step in and do something with the bear.”
Such actions could include destroying the animal, he said.
“It’s basically going to be bothering everybody – whether it’s in the community, the park, or wherever it may be.”
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