What is one risk associated with feeding wild animals?

Feeding wild animals poses the significant risk of habituation, which occurs when animals become accustomed to human presence due to regular feeding. When animals lose their natural fear of humans, they may start approaching people more closely, which can lead to dangerous situations for both the animals and humans. This behavior can also result in an increased likelihood of wildlife-human conflicts, as animals may seek out human food sources instead of foraging for their natural diet. In the long term, habituation can negatively impact wildlife populations, making them more vulnerable to urban dangers and potentially leading to their displacement or injury.

The other options, while they may touch on related topics, do not accurately capture the primary risk involved in feeding wild animals. Strengthening natural instincts is not a direct outcome of feeding, and encouraging faster reproduction or providing a sustainable food source is not a concern that arises from feeding practices, as the focus should be on preserving the animals’ instinctive behaviors and maintaining their natural foraging habits.