Grand Canyon National Park officials have asked visitors to stop locking padlocks on fencing at the park as it poses a threat to the endangered condor.
The popular trend is known as “love locks” and people often throw the key into the Grand Canyon afterward.
But park officials say the curious condors often eat the keys and get sick. The condor loves shiny things and investigates these objects with their mouths.
However, the bird can’t digest metal and, as a result, can’t pass the object, which can lead to an obstruction and even death.
They also remind parkgoers that throwing a key or anything into the Grand Canyon is considered littering and the locks are a form of graffiti.