Natural History Wanderings

Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy writes about having wildlife encounters that are safe for the animals as well as people.

We want you to have a howlingly good time in the Golden Gate National Parks, but we also want to protect the wildlife that howl (and those that don’t). The national parks in your backyard are teeming with wildlife, and it should be your mission to minimize your interactions with them.

Why? Because human visitors can change wildlife behavior and damage habitat. Like when animals become reliant on people as a food source. Also because wild animals are exactly that–wild animals, meaning their behavior is often unpredictable, and an encounter could land you in a risky situation.

Adhere to these basic guidelines to keep you safe…and save you from social media ridicule (no selfies with the mountain lion please):

Never feed wildlife (don’t even think about feeding candy to that squirrel).

Don’t be a buzz kill. Do not interfere with mating, predation, or other natural behavior.

Keep a respectful distance (at least 10 feet) from wildlife. No Instagram shot is worth endangering an animal.

Follow the “leave no trace” principles. Leave the outdoors better than you found it.

Read more at  Wildlife Encounter Tips