The Municipality of Marinha Grande is appealing to the population to stop feeding animals in the urban parks of the city. The local authority made this decision after installing new informative signage about the prohibition of this practice. The request is directed at both residents and visitors of these public spaces.
The measure was implemented following recommendations from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF). This regulatory entity warned about the negative impacts caused by artificial feeding, particularly of ducks and other water birds that frequent the city's parks.
The municipality justifies the prohibition with concerns related to animal welfare and public health. Artificial feeding can cause animals to become dependent on humans and alter their natural feeding behaviors.
