Stop feeding eagles on Langkawi

Unhealthy practice: File photo of wild birds flocking to one of the feeding grounds off Langkawi. — Filepic/The Star

PULAU Langkawi is one of my family’s favourite places to holiday in in Malaysia. The beaches and much of the jungle remain pristine and beautiful. And there are the mangroves at the Langkawi Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Global Geopark, which we never tire of visiting.

During our last trip to the mangroves, we engaged a boat operator we were not familiar with as our regular one was not available. This new operator threw in a deal we didn’t ask for: Eagle feeding. It was a gruesome and heart- wrenching activity as the island’s wild eagles were fed with chicken skin, fat and all.