In the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve located in Qinghai province, several wolves have begun to approach vehicles on a major highway in search of food, raising alarms about the implications for safety and wildlife management. A driver named Yuan Youming reported that he previously observed only one wolf last year, but as more people started to feed it, the wolf population along the road grew, with as many as four wolves now appearing regularly. These wolves are becoming accustomed to obtaining food, particularly meat, from humans.
The rise in these interactions presents significant health issues for the wolves and safety hazards for people. According to Lian Xinming, a researcher from the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, feeding wolves unhealthy food, such as salty snacks, could jeopardize their health and instill a reliance on human-provided food, thus reducing their instinct to hunt. This reliance might also lead to an increase in herbivore populations, like the Tibetan antelope, resulting in overgrazing and potential harm to the vegetation in their habitat.
Moreover, interacting closely with wildlife through feeding or photography may provoke potentially dangerous behaviors in the animals, which can pose risks to humans. The 109 National Highway, known for its narrow lanes and heavy truck traffic, complicates matters further as stopping to engage with the wolves could lead to congestion and a heightened risk of accidents or injury. In response to the situation, some local areas are working on enhancing oversight and improving systems to manage the feeding of wildlife more effectively.
In a related incident from Jinan, Shandong province, staff at the Baotu Spring scenic spot have started discouraging visitors from feeding fish, following an incident where a large koi fish reportedly died due to overeating during a national holiday.
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