In the February 28 edition of the Camden Haven Courier a photo of was published of a pelican eating chips.

“People may think this is all very cute,” said the resident who wanted to remain anonymous. 

“However the pelican’s natural diet is fish.

“The same goes for all seabirds.”

The resident said if they are fed anything else including cooked fish and chips, meat and chicken they can become listless, underweight and even die.

“This is because all non-natural foods contain the wrong fats and proteins that they can’t easily digest,” she said. 

“They breed weak chicks that struggle to survive.”

The resident said feeding sea birds human food makes them lazy and encourages them to beg and be aggressive. 

“Human-fed birds become dependent and their ability to forage for food is reduced,” she said. 

“The best way to feed birds is to plant bird-attractant native shrubs in the garden.’

The resident said the same applied for native animals.

“For example people are often seen feeding bread and other human food to kangaroos and wallabies,” she said,

“Human food does not provide them with nutrition and too much can cause ‘lumpy jaw’, which is a serious bacterial infection of the jaw that can result in death.”

There are ‘Do Not Feed the Wildlife’ signs at entrances to all national parks and nature reserves.

For more information people can visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/KeepingWildlifeWild.htm

The resident wants the local community to explain these situations to anyone seen feeding human food to native animals, to help spread the word.