Why is it harmful to animals?
- Bread contains leavening agents, sugar and salts, among other things. This causes it to swell up in the animal's stomach/throat. It leads to colic and diarrhea and causes the animals great pain. In the worst case, it can lead to their death.
- Most of the food fed to the animals becomes moldy and rots. When animals eat this waste, they become ill or die in agony.
- The bread diet can lead to deficiency symptoms in the animals, making them more susceptible to disease.
- Wild animals follow their instincts. They find plenty of aquatic plants and small creatures such as snails and worms in the water and on the banks - even in winter.
- Leftover food attracts animals such as mice and rats, and rats are not only attracted to food scraps, but also to bird nests in the vicinity.
- Too many birds are artificially kept at the lake through feeding and too many fish are kept in the water, resulting in overpopulation and disturbing the natural balance. Due to this overpopulation and the associated lack of space, the animals become stressed and behave aggressively. This can also trigger further behavioral disorders during mating, breeding and fledgling. The natural living conditions are artificially altered.
- Through regular feeding and targeted "feeding", the animals lose their natural flight instinct. This leads to an increase in dangerous conflicts on the road or through contact with dogs and cats.
- The bread feeding and overpopulation is noticeable in the form of droppings on the shore. Bacteria and viruses in the droppings can also be transmitted to humans through contact with pets and lead to diseases or infections. Children playing can also come into contact with the droppings.
Why does contamination occur in water bodies?
- The unnatural composition of the animals' excrement also pollutes the water and reduces the water's self-purification capacity.
- The unabsorbed bread and the increased excrement dissolve and sink to the bottom of the water. The result is an unwanted over-fertilization of the water. Large amounts of oxygen are consumed during bacterial decomposition and the fish can suffocate. Thick layers of sludge and putrefactive gases are produced.
- The lack of oxygen also kills off other aquatic inhabitants such as mussels, snails, crabs and worms. This destroys the natural food of birds and fish.
- The carbon dioxide released by the rotting bread causes the algae to grow excessively. The water turns green, it "blooms" and "turns over", which can cause unpleasant odors.
Hence our request:
Help to keep the pond clear and clean. Do not feed water birds and fish. Do not throw bread into the water! There is plenty of natural food. Follow these suggestions - you will be making an active contribution to water protection.
Photo: Pixabay