Certification Feature: Attractive Nuisance

Attractive Nuisance
by Pete Corradino

I watched a Great Blue Heron systematically survey the remains at each picnic table and garbage can in a county park in central Florida. It pulled out Styrofoam plates and disposable utensils. It poked and prodded at beverage containers. The treasure here was ironically a chicken wing that it tossed back and choked down. The bird shook its head from side to side. Clearly the bone wasn’t going down easily. When the bird stood erect again, it looked back into the garbage can for another “easy” meal. I shooed the bird away and dejectedly notice monofilament line wrapped around its foot.
There are a variety of things wrong with this situation.
  • We are a disposable society. I would estimate that nearly everything in that garbage can was used once and thrown away. Much of it – plastic cups and aluminum cans could have been recycled.
  • None of the garbage containers in the park had lids which meant that raccoons, opossums, birds and a variety of other wildlife had free access to human waste.
  • Wind could blow the garbage out. Wildlife could pull it out and from there the garbage blows elsewhere and becomes a problem for more wildlife.
  • It’s unsightly. Eco destinations promote the quality of the experience and that includes not looking at trash.
  • The heron was entangled by fishing line that was discarded, possible with a fish on the end of the line. If the line tightens further it could cut off circulation resulting in the loss of the limb or an infection resulting in death.
  • Herons eat, fish, frogs, baby gators…They aren’t built to swallow chicken bones. They can choke or be impaled internally.
The Florida SEE Certification Program standards elevate the expectation for how our attractions and tours should operate. The program lists several criteria that tour operators should live up to which will provide for an authentic eco-experience for guests and wildlife alike.
  • Personally, as the Director of Operations of the Everglades Day Safari (Florida SEE Certified Gold) I make sure that anything that guests accumulate during the tour that can be recycled is. (CRITERIA #89)
  • All litter found on tour, regardless of how it got there is disposed of properly. (CRITERIA #90)
  • Guests are discouraged from feeding wildlife, even passively and all food and trash is secured (CRITERIA #118)
  • When birds are injured or impaired as the heron was, we call the proper organization and follow their instructions to assure the health of the animal. (CRITERIA #121)
  • We organize an annual clean up at Lake Trafford (a lake considered to have more alligators per acre than anywhere else in the world). It’s fun and adventurous. (CRITERIA #205)
A woman approached the garbage can and yelled at the bird, waving her arms at it as if the bird was the nuisance. She piled her garbage on the over flowing mound and walked away. Most of it stayed in the container. Until someone recognizes the problem a simple garbage can is causing, it will remain an attractive nuisance to wildlife. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Chances are you do all of the right things. Challenge yourself to become an authentic ecotour. Become a Florida SEE Certified Ecotour.

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The Florida SEE Grapevine - September, 2013

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