Living With Wildlife
Feeding Wildlife
People who live in the Northern Territory are extremely lucky to be able to share their backyards and neighbourhoods with a diverse range of native birds, mammals and reptiles.
We often believe that we are assisting our native wildlife by feeding these animals. However, this is not usually true. Native animals have adapted to a particular diet over many years. Altering or supplementing their diets with foods that they wouldn’t otherwise eat, or by increasing quantities of some foods in their diet may have negative effects on the health of these animals. These negative effects may include obesity, nutrient deficiency, diseases or viral and bacterial infections.
Feeding wildlife may result in some animals becoming a nuisance or losing their fear of people and becoming aggressive. Moreover, animals that have been fed over a long period of time may have become dependent on this food source, so that when you go away on holidays or move house, these animals may suffer because they have lost the instinct to fend for themselves.
Rather than encouraging native animals to come into your yard by feeding them, try planting native trees and shrubs, providing nesting boxes or hollow logs for birds and mammals, or installing a bird bath or pond. If you do plan on encouraging wildlife into your backyard ensure that dogs and cats are controlled (especially during the night when most native mammals are active). This will provide a safe haven for native wildlife without posing a risk to the animals, yourself or other members of the community.
