Don’t feed the animals Published Feb. 9, 2012 By Dustin Akins Kirtland Air Force Base Natural Resources Kirtland Air Force Base -- Kirtland Air Force Base is approximately 52,000 acres, mostly undeveloped. With such large expanses of undeveloped land surrounding the urban areas, it is not uncommon to encounter many different types of native wildlife, such as prairie dogs, coyotes and desert cottontails. It is vital to remember to never feed any wild animal. It puts the animal at risk; it puts you at risk and it is against Kirtland AFB policy. It may be difficult to understand why you should not feed wildlife, especially if you have done so in the past. Consider what people feed them versus what occurs in their environment. The types of foods we typically offer -- pet foods, candy bars, nuts, bread, sandwiches, crackers, and others -- are all very calorie-dense and highly processed, while naturally occurring foods -- native vegetation and seeds -- are not. Just because a prairie dog appears to really like the Butterfinger you just fed it doesn't mean the animal should be eating it. A prairie dog's internal biology is not equipped to handle the ingredients of a candy bar -- it could die from eating it. If the prairie dog survives, continues to be fed calorie dense foods and is female, chemical processes signal her body that enough food is available to support a large family. Unless you continue to provide a continuous food source for this prairie dog family, the pups will eventually starve to death. Additional pitfalls of feeding wildlife include feeding juveniles and non-hibernating species. Animals receiving handouts from an early age do not learn foraging skills necessary for survival and become completely reliant on you for their survival. Feeding non-hibernating species creates another lethal dependency, especially as seasons change from summer to winter. A desert cottontail that is fed throughout the summer has not had to forage for food for months and will have a much harder time surviving the winter. During the summer, coyotes lose their winter coat and look much thinner than they do in winter. When an animal looks thin, or like it is struggling to find food, it is human nature to want to help. Feeding any predatory animal can cause it to lose its fear of humans, making it bolder around people. When predators associate us with a reliable food source, then they frequent our homes, harass us for food or even eat our pets. Predatory animals, unafraid of humans, usually end up being killed. Wild animals are not pets. If they become sick, will you take them to the veterinarian to have them treated or euthanized? If you go TDY, will you ask a co-worker to feed the wild animal in your absence? Feeding wildlife becomes a responsibility to the feeder that is difficult to keep. As interesting as wild animals are, it is in our best interest and theirs not to feed them.