Page 15 - XITE Magazine 2019

chocolates! So much so, that he will growl and bare his teeth at visitors who have not oered him a
chocolate on arrival! Most of us, who know, make sure that we are carrying a chocolate and the
unfortunate ones who don't, have to borrow one from the friend's refrigerator! (They always keep
some stock in their refrigerator to avoid such unpleasant situations).
So, are we really being kind to these animals by indulging them? Parrots are no more supposed to
have tea than dogs are supposed to have chocolates! Such unhealthy food habits are giving rise to
life threatening diseases among animals. To mention one example, when birds consume too much Xavier Chimes
human food, it can lead to a medical condition called “angel wing” or "airplane wing," a syndrome
where wing feathers grow in the wrong direction. The condition can look like a broken wing and
prevent a bird from flying. Similarly, animals fed by tourists have poorer body condition compared to
animals that do not interact with tourists. Seabird chicks that feed on human throw-outs grow more
slowly and are less likely to survive than chicks feeding on a normal diet. According to several
research papers, the food humans usually feed to wild animals is not nutritionally complete, and it
can cause serious health problems for the animals, especially when they are young and still
developing. Additionally, when young wild animals are taught to depend on a human-provided food
source, they may not fully develop essential foraging skills. When animals are given junk food, it may
also hamper their reproductive abilities. These are only a few examples, the insects and scavengers
will have a more pathetic story to share with you! (the picture below will give you some idea)
So, it will be kind of us to understand the long-term impacts of altered diets on animals and refrain
from showing unwarranted kindness in feeding them with the same junk food that we already know
is harming us and our young! Let us alternatively, adopt the “clean eating” craze ourselves and in
doing that ensure a happy and healthy life for ourselves, our progeny and our fellow living beings.

When we genuinely believe that inner transformation is God's work and not ours, 13 Volume-VII, 2019
we can put to rest our passion to set others straight. - Richard J. Foster