Residents leaving pumpkins out for animals are putting the wildlife in harm鈥檚 way.
Okanagan鈥檚 Nature Nut is concerned that Halloween leftovers left out as a 鈥榯reat鈥� for wildlife, are in fact 鈥榯ricking鈥� them.
鈥淲ildlife get their own food, water and shelter. That鈥檚 how they are wild,鈥� said Roseanne Van Ee. 鈥淲e domesticate them causing them to rely on us for food when we put out pumpkins or other human food.鈥�
She urges resident not to leave deer and raccoons pumpkins, which can also attract skunks, squirrels, rats, mice, bears, coyotes and insects.
鈥淲ildlife continually look for food and can lose their fear of humans when we feed them. Then, they may become aggressive if not fed as expected.鈥�
She points to local expert urban wildlife control specialist, Pete Wise, who has said: 鈥渨e create our own problems with nuisance wildlife鈥y leaving food and water out for them.鈥�
Animals remember where food is left out and will return. They are innocent and just following their own instincts to do what they need to survive.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why you only take your compost and garbage out on the morning of collection and feed your pets indoors,鈥� said Van Ee.
The Nature Nut says pumpkins can instead be composted or used for human consumption, pumpkin custard being her favourite.
