ORLANDO, Fla. – Months after battling an outbreak of avian flu at Lake Eola, the city of Orlando has posted new signs banning people from feeding birds at the popular downtown park.
The move is aimed at preventing the spread of disease among swans and other wildlife, but some visitors and volunteers question whether it is the best solution.
For years, visitors have been able to purchase food from dispensers to feed the swans. Those feeders have now been removed, and new signage warns against feeding any wildlife, noting it could contribute to the spread of illness.
“It’s calming. It’s definitely therapeutic, so it’s just very relaxing,” said Amir Isa, who visits Lake Eola regularly. “You see all the birds and all of the swans. My thought is I want to feed them. They are adorable.”
After learning about the removal of the feeders, Isa said he believes the city should reconsider.
“They should definitely put the feeders back and make a bigger sign that says, please only give them this food,” he said.
The policy change comes after the city says avian flu hit Lake Eola in December, killing dozens of swans and other birds.
“It was kind of the catalyst that got all of us swan volunteers together to say there are a lot of troubling things going on, and we’ve put together a plan for the city,” said Olivia Glazer, a volunteer who helps care for the swans.
Glazer said volunteers have formed strong bonds with the birds and worry about their well-being under the new rules.
“Just interacting with them, it kind of feels like they are yours. They are your pets. They are all of our pets,” she said.
She also expressed concern that without supplemental feeding, the birds could struggle to survive.
“There is no natural diet for them in the lake. They do need to be fed lettuce, worms, cracked corn, floating waterfowl food by people,” Glazer said.
It is unclear whether the city plans to install similar signs at other lakes or if the policy will become permanent.