"The next time you feel the urge to feed an animal, either to pay obeisance to a deity or to help a ‘starving’ animal, please ask yourself if your action could have unintended consequences, including negatively impacting ecosystems."At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when people were confined to their houses and the streets emptied, photos and videos emerged of animals “reclaiming” outdoor spaces. Most of these images were shared with a feel-good sentiment of nature returning to its rightful place.