In the depths of winter, it’s not uncommon to notice your eating habits change.

While you may have reached for a salad during the sizzling summer months, chances are you’re now hankering for something a little more comforting. If mac and cheese and peach cobbler are high on your winter meal rotation, rest assured: you are not alone.

And when you visit National Parks, it can feel tough when you see animals in a similar predicament. They’re outdoors, braving the cold too – perhaps their coats or feathers are looking a little thicker as they struggle to keep themselves warm in the plummeting temperatures.

You can see it for yourself: their food sources are getting scarcer – you may even find yourself worrying about their welfare.

So it’s easy to see why you might be compelled to give the struggling animals and birds you see a little treat.

However, the National Parks Service have a warning for all would-be animal feeders.

Please don’t.

Their recent warning comes for several reasons.

While it may feel good – and be a popular past time for many – to throw food to the animals and watch happily as they devour it, this human behavior can make the animals less healthy, and alter their natural behavior too.

As the National Parks Service explain in their statement, eating human food can deter animals from engaging their hunting instincts, as well as affecting their health and wellbeing:

“Winter is here and with it more waterfowl in the parks. We want to remind the public that feeding wildlife in the park is not allowed. Human food is not healthy for wild animals. When animals eat human food, they stop eating the nutrients they need to survive. They can come to rely on humans and stop hunting, foraging, or scavenging as they naturally would.”

And for those who choose not to follow the rules, unconcerned for the animals’ wellbeing, there is a further deterrent. Not only is feeding the animals unhealthy for them, it’s unhealthy for your wallet too. That’s because it’s actually against the law, and could land you a hefty fine:

“It is also illegal to feed wildlife in the park in under the Code of Federal Regulations 36 § 2.2 (a)(2). The violation carries a $300 violation notice/fine.”

Also, if you choose to feed the wrong animal, the consequences for you could be dire.

So the message is clear: eating your own food in the National Parks is fine, but don’t be tempted to share it with any of the creatures around you, as adorable as they may be.

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