BATON ROUGE, La. – In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Arthur, rising waters can displace wildlife species from flooded habitats causing them to seek higher ground into nearby residential and commercial areas with which they may not be familiar, potentially increasing the likelihood of their encounters with people.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries urges the public to be especially cognizant of wildlife and to avoid contact with displaced animals as they seek temporary refuge.
Wild animals do not pose a threat to humans and should be left alone and not be fed. Feeding wild animals may encourage them to remain near an artificial food source rather than relocating to natural habitat and finding food on their own once flood waters subside…