Do not feed wildlife

Visitors and local communities who enjoy the Great Ocean Road are lucky to be able to share the environment with a diverse range of native wildlife.

People often feed wildlife because they enjoy the close-up experience with wildlife or with the belief that food handouts help the animals survive.

However, feeding wildlife causes many serious problems for wildlife and humans.

If there is wildlife around, you can rest assured there is plenty of food available, or the animals would not be there.

While feeding wildlife can be enjoyable, it is bad for the animals and will do more harm than good.

Feeding can result in the following:

Dependency on humans for food
When this occurs, wildlife loses their foraging skills and can starve when the food source is removed.

Contracting and transmitting disease
Animals gather in abnormally large numbers where food is accessible. This means if one animal has an illness or disease, it can be easily spread.

Dietary deficiencies, wildlife needs a variety of foods in their diet
Wildlife needs a variety of foods in their diet, and if they fill up on "junk", it prevents them from having the balanced diet they require for good health.

Aggressive behaviour
Both animals and people can be injured by aggressive behaviour in animals, particularly as animals become more brazen in their attempts to get food.

The Authority operates under the Wildlife Act 1975. Please help us to protect, conserve and care for the wildlife that call the Great Ocean Road home