Please, Don’t Feed The Locals

by Camilla Owens

Our top four reasons why you shouldn’t mingle with the locals during dinner time.

Have you ever heard of a squeal eating a cow? Me neither. But that’s what I saw one night on a west coast camping trip.

Spaghetti was on the menu that night and I was starved. I had just made an all-day drive to Lake Tahoe as the sun began to set and I needed to get something to eat right then and there.

We were setting up camp as I scrambled to cook the beef for the spaghetti sauce. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my cooking space setup very well as I was rushing back and forth to get my ingredients and supplies and then, I noticed something.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a furry creature dart back and forth with lightning speed on and off the pick nick table grabbing chunks of hot beef off of my camping stove. Trying to protect the little local, I found I was too late in protecting him from the cheek-full of foreign Italian spices and beef he ran off with.

Simple absent-minded acts like this can have a powerful impact on the animals in nature. At times we can put the things we appreciate in danger as we do our best to enjoy the mood and environment or to take care of our basic needs.

However, from that experience I learned that it’s never a good idea to let the locals dine with you and here’s why.

1. Attracting A Crowd

Like my own experience, certain foods can attract a larger crowd of hungry critters. The smell of the food itself and how we prepare it can increase the chances of inviting more freeloaders.

If possible try to prepare foods that are raw, organic, or would be naturally derived from the local habitat since those options have ingredients that will be less invasive.

As an added bonus, if they end up stealing some of your food the risk of getting sick on it decreases.

And they’ll likely lose interest and move on to something else, which will allow the aria to be restored to its normal number of inhabitants.

2. You’re Making Your Friends Fat

Many of the foods we enjoy out on the trail or by the campfire are exotic delicacies to the locals.

These tempting morsels are super easy to get in comparison to the time tested tradition of foraging.

As a result, the food we share with the local animals can make them fat.

Why is that? Because our food is essentially high quality junk food.

Most of the foods we eat on a regular basis are full of things like breads, sugars, and other processed ingredients that make it hard for their little bodies to process. This is due to the fact that they’re not designed to handle such processed ingredients.

3. Why They’re Dependent

Don’t let those cute little eyes fool you, by allowing the locals to share a meal, we encourage harmful habits.

When animals begin to rely on us as a reliable food source they end up suffering by failing to develop essential skills in gathering their own nutritious foods.

As a result, this leaves them with poor skills that are essential for their survival as they continue to rely on people as the prime resource for their food. This impacts them for generations as they lazily fail to master their instincts.

4. #Sharing is not Caring

Although it may be tough to digest, giving wild animals free food doesn’t make you their friend. The truth is giving the locals free handouts decreases their quality of life.

Most foods we eat outdoors are full of preservatives like sugar, salt and manmade chemicals that are foreign to their natural diet, which can make digesting the foods we give them a real challenge.

At the end of the day, it’s just best to avoid eye contact with them and to forget about giving in to their wish for a free meal.

We hope you discovered new ways to nature wisely. If you did, share it with us in the comments section below.

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