Seagull Feeding Officially Banned in the Netherlands 0 12

The city of Vlissingen in the southern Netherlands has issued an order banning the feeding of seagulls, which have become numerous there due to its coastal location – to prevent the birds from getting used to being fed in the city and from bothering people, as well as to stop them from consuming harmful food such as French fries.

As noted, the problem of feeding seagulls has "gone too far," and the city hall sees no other solution but to impose a ban, as most people do not understand why they are being asked not to do this.

Violators will not be fined for now.

Owners of small kiosks selling ice cream and snacks are skeptical that the "soft" ban without penalties will work – recounting how they ask customers not to throw anything to the birds, but someone still does it right next to the kiosks. As a result, seagulls have already gotten used to it and literally snatch food from people's hands.

Vlissingen is far from the only city in the Netherlands trying to combat the mass presence of seagulls. Various measures are also being tried in Leiden, Haarlem, and The Hague. For instance, a year ago in The Hague, there was a proposal to throw contraceptive pills to the seagulls, but animal rights activists expressed doubts since the birds' breeding grounds are still far outside the city. Disturbing the birds at their nesting sites is prohibited, as they are a protected species.