The temptation to try to attract or play with wild animals can be very real, but most people realize that it's not a wise decision.
One Redditor, however, posted a video of someone encouraging their young children to do so.
In the video, two kids crouch next to a hole as a gopher sticks its head out. A female voice encourages them to stay still and hold out their hands so the animal can get some food.
Instead, the animal runs out, grabs the large bag of food they were working with, and takes it down a hole as the people shriek and laugh.
While the particular incident does spark shock and even laughter in viewers, it also points to the larger problem of increasing interactions between people and wildlife.
If nothing else, this can lead to the spread of certain diseases, according to MedlinePlus. No one wants to get a serious illness or introduce one to their community, and one good way to avoid that is to avoid touching animals.
The National Park Service explains that human contact can be bad for wildlife, too. Animals can be rejected by other animals or risk injury if they start to seek out people. They can also suffer malnutrition and illness when they eat too much human food.
What's more, animals that injure people may need to be put down simply because they become a danger to others. The loss of important creatures can have severe knock-on effects for the wider ecosystem.
Talking with your family and friends about these issues can help improve understanding and stop people from getting too close to wildlife.
We can also learn from the many, many stories of tourists getting too close to animals and the negative consequences of that.
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Yes — it's rotting their brains 🧠 Other Redditors seemed to understand that the behavior in the video was problematic.
"Why would you let your kids play with wild gophers knowing they can carry several severe illnesses," one said.
"Feel sorry for the kids but glad they didn't get bitten or scratched," another shared.
One well-informed commenter added, "Individuals should also note that gophers can carry hantavirus, leptospirosis, and tularemia in addition to rabies, plus other possible infectious deadly diseases."
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