The Royal Botanical Gardens is asking guests to stop feeding the animals.
A sign was installed at the entrance to the gardens, telling guests to cease feeding wildlife or closures to areas of the RBG trails may be necessary.
“Feeding of wildlife including swans cygnets (young swans), has created unacceptable risks to wildlife and visitors,” the sign reads. “Feeding is also placing the birds in danger of injury or illness.”
Feeding the wildlife interrupts their natural behaviour and can cause serious health problems, Dr. David Galbraith, director of science for the RBG said.
“For example, trumpeter swans may develop a condition called “angel wing” from consuming excessive carbohydrates in bread and processed foods, rendering them unable to fly,” Galbraith wrote in an email. “Additionally, feeding wildlife habituates animals to human food, making them reliant on unnatural sources, altering their behaviour, and increasing their vulnerability to predators and environmental hazards.”
Angel wing can cause the joints in the swan’s wing to twist, making their feathers point too far to one direction to fly properly.
Galbraith added that city by-laws prohibit feeding animals, and staff at the RBG are doing what they can to address harmful behaviour, which may include closing off certain areas.
The warnings are not just about protecting the birds, he said. “By refraining from feeding wildlife in natural areas, we allow them to thrive as nature intended."
