Overfeeding Pigeons: BNHS Warns of Health and Environmental Consequences
Nagpur, India: That nice feeling you get from feeding pigeons? It might not be so good after all. A new documentary says that feeding pigeons too much in cities is causing health and environmental problems.
The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), a wildlife group, says that when people feed pigeons without limits, the pigeon population grows too big. This leads to the spread of diseases and damage to buildings.
"Feeding pigeons seems kind, but it can hurt the environment and people's health," said Kishor Rithe, Director of BNHS. He explained that pigeons can carry diseases in the air, and their droppings can ruin buildings.
The documentary, called "Mercy Feeding: Pigeon Menace in Urban Areas," talks about these problems. It encourages people to think about the impact of their actions and find better ways to live with wildlife in cities.
Sangita Jindal, from the JSW Foundation, which helped make the film, said that taking care of the environment means protecting both people and animals. She hopes the film will encourage people to be more responsible when it comes to feeding pigeons.
Rithe hopes that the documentary will make people who run pigeon feeding areas ("kabutarkhanas") reconsider their actions and stop feeding the birds so much.
