Anchorage Bans Feeding Wildlife, Eagles Included

0:00It's April 29th. Welcome in. This is Anchorage News Today, where local news meets AI. I'm Cory with the story. Anchorage is cracking down on feeding wildlife, especially protected birds like bald eagles. The city assembly has a new ordinance up for public input, Tuesday night that would ban intentionally feeding birds of prey and most other animals in. The area. Officials say it's needed because reports show people leaving food that straw and crowds of eagles and ravens to neighborhoods. This comes after complaints about eagles getting fed in spots like the Maldon area, which packs in dozens of the birds and boost risks like disease. Spread and clashes with pets or people. Human handouts mess with natural habits and create unsafe spots for everyone involved. Local guide Tom McCasch has been tossing meat and fish to eagles all winter, arguing its way better than them scavenging at the city landfill. He points out the dump disrupts their feeding and nesting more than anywhere else, and the city should step up protection there instead.

1:01The rules would hit intentional feeders with a $250 fine first time, jumping to $500 after then. Even accidental attractants like food left out for bears start at $100 and climb to $500 for repeats. Public testimony hits Tuesday, but LeCasch shrugs off worries from small dog owners, saying eagles belong here in Alaska summers, nesting back in the woods where nature intended.