Don't Feed the Wild Animals

We have all seen the signs when in National Parks: Don't feed the Animals.

In this "me, me, me generation," people write their own rules, such as parking in a fire zone while picking up takeout food.

I didn't always obey the signs myself. It was kind of fun to feed the animals. Until we went to the Grand Canyon in 2005. We witnessed a squirrel perched on a woman's lap, eating from her ice cream cone. Another person left cheese puffs on a ledge and a black bird stuck its head up and stole the whole bag. It would peek up every so often with a cheese puff. I assumed that the animals were people-friendly.

After a short walk at the top of the south rim I saw two squirrels on a ledge with the Grand Canyon as the backdrop. I was with my wife and 9-year-old daughter. I told my daughter to stand with the squirrels for a perfect nature shot. As my daughter leaned against the rock railing, the nearby squirrel dropped its nut and ran along the rock towards her. As my daughter went to lift her hand away, the squirrel caught up and bit her finger. I snapped the picture just as she got bitten. The finger bleed pretty badly and luckily we had a napkin to wrap in until we could get help. I don't believe the squirrel was mean; he just wanted food. When we found the Park Ranger back at the lodge, they asked if we had fed the animals. We said no. It was like it was our fault. I was getting angrier by the minute as her finger continued to bleed. They told us how to get to the First Aid Station and our day at the Canyon was over. It was a blessing in disguise. We had seen enough and I am afraid of heights. It is as if God had a hand in it, not to make a pun.

The First Aid Station gave us a clean wrap and told us to put a bandage on the bite when we got home. I told the attendant that we were two hours away, visiting with my cousin in Flagstaff and and needed help now. They took a look at it and assured us that the squirrels did not have rabies. The bite mark did not look unusual. I finally felt relief. When it is your child, her, my only child, I did not take no for an answer. Many parents have been in this situation and say, "No, you are going to take care of it now!" I say that about my kid, not my food order or waiting on hold on the telephone.

In the past few years I have seen fish come right up to the surface of the water in packs to get food dropped to them in the water in Myrtle Beach. I fed an alligator a peanut butter and cheese cracker standing on a bridge dropping said item into its mouth down in the water at a golf course in Myrtle Beach. He hissed when we gave him ginger ale. I have seen "friendly" and fat squirrels several National Parks. But despite all this, I will never feed another land animal, and if I know what is smart, I will not wait for an alligator to chase me for food on land or jump out of the water.

But, Disney World. Do they even allow real wild animals to roam the Magic Kingdom? Only Chip and Dale and a tamed mouse that will shake your hand.

But, don't ... I repeat ... don't feed the animals.