Managing Wildlife

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Managing Wildlife
Developed by Melody Hefner, University of Nevada
Cooperative Extension
USDA NRCS
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What well be covering

• Impacts to and from wildlife, including disease
• Methods to discourage wildlife
• Aspects of predator control
• Ways to deal with nuisance wildlife
• Methods to encourage wildlife and the risks of
  doing so
• Setting goals for managing wildlife on your
  property

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Setting wildlife goals

• What wildlife is common in your area?
• Do you want to encourage or discourage wildlife?
• What type of wildlife do you want to encourage?
• What type of wildlife do you want to discourage?

www.farmphoto.com
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Impacts to and from wildlife

• Habitat loss
• Dependence on artificial feeding
• Disease

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.
www.farmphoto.com
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Habitat loss

• Fencing
• Displaces some animals
• Subdivides and fragments habitat

www.farmpictures.com
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Artificial feeding

• Attracts some species to feeding areas
• Changes species balance
• Can make some species become more vulnerable to
  predators

www.farmphoto.com
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Spread of disease

• Domestic to wild
• Wild to domestic
• From both to humans!

USDA NRCS
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Brucellosis

• At risk
• Cattle, goats,
• sheep, swine and
• other domestic
• animals
• Moose, elk and bison
• Humans
• Historically spread from domestic to wild
• Spread from bison and elk to domestic herds today

www.montana.edu/wwwcbs
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Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

• Called TSEs
• Thought to be caused by prions, infectious,
  self-replicating proteins
• Three important diseases in animals
• Chronic wasting disease
• Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
• Scrapie

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Chronic wasting disease

• At risk mule deer, white-tailed deer, Shiras
  moose and mountain elk
• Always fatal
• Not clear if transmittable to domestic animals
• Not clear if originally transmitted from domestic
  animals

USDA NRCS
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Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (aka mad cow
disease)

• Another TSE, much in the news
• Affects cattle 2 to 8 years old
• Always fatal
• Transmitted through consumption of brain or
  central nervous system tissues of infected
  animals
• Cannot be transmitted by animals sharing pasture
  or pens

NRCS
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Scrapie

• Affects sheep and goats 2 to 5 years old
• Always fatal
• Passes from mother to young
• Can be passed from animal to animal or animal to
  environment
• Humans are not susceptible to infection from
  meat, milk or contact with infected animals
• Scrapie tag required in breeder sheep

NRCS
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Scrapie
NRCS
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West Nile virus

• Passed by mosquitoes from infected birds to other
  birds, horses and humans
• Not passed animal to animal or animal to human
• Most humans and animals infected show only
  flu-like symptoms

www.insectidentification.org
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www.cdc.gov
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Lyme disease

• Spread by deer ticks
• Cannot be spread animal to animal, animal to
  human, or human to human
• Early symptoms are flu-like

www.insectidentification.org
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Hantavirus

• Deer mouse is primary carrier
• Passed through urine, droppings and saliva
• Humans contract disease by breathing in dust from
  the infected materials

www.cdc.gov
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Bubonic plague

• Transmitted by fleas that bite infected rodents
• Can be transmitted human to human
• Most common in southwestern states

www.insectidentification.org
http//photogallery.nrcs.usda.gov
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Avian influenza (bird flu)

• Wild birds, domestic poultry, and humans are at
  risk
• Passed from bird to bird and bird to human
• No documented human to human transmission
• Concern regarding mutation possibilities

www.smithmeadows.com
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Rabies

• Infectious viral disease affecting mammals,
  including humans
• Passed through bites of infected animals
• Vaccinations available for most domestic animals
  and humans
• Treatable in humans after infection (before
  clinical signs appear)
• Fatal in untreated animals

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E. coli

• Refers to a group of bacteria that are naturally
  occurring in the intestinal tracts of cattle,
  deer, goats and sheep
• Transmitted to humans through ingestion of
  feces-contaminated food or water
• Infected people, especially children, can also
  pass the disease
• Most people recover without antibiotics, but in a
  small percentage of people, it can cause
  complications

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Giardia

• Gastrointestinal disease caused by a parasite
• Passed through ingestion of feces or food or
  water contaminated by manure
• Condition generally requires medical treatment
• Found in soils, water, contaminated surfaces and
  food

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Preventing contamination

• Small-acreage properties have the added
  complication of animal manure
• Manage manure sources, storage areas, compost and
  other sources of contamination carefully

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Preventing contamination

• Clean water troughs regularly
• Avoid contaminating irrigation water

UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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Identifying wildlife damage

• Do you know that something is destroying your
  plants, property or livestock, but dont know
  what animal it is?
• You cant control or discourage it until you can
  identify the animal
• The following information may help you identify
  the culprit

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Plant damage
Nebraska Game and Park Commission
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Plant damage
Wildlife Damage Image Collection, U of N,
Lincoln and USDA
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Damage caused by carnivores
National Park Service
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Minimizing wildlife conflicts

• Limit access to your home
• Limit access to your yard
• Reduce the attractiveness of your living areas
• Reduce the temptations to predators

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Limit access to your home
www.crittercontrol.com
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Limit access to your yard
www.farmphoto.com
www.farmphoto.com
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Fencing to discourage wildlife

• Type and species of wildlife
• Additional purpose(s) of fencing
• Type of fencing
• Net wire
• Electric
• Electric modification of existing fences
• Portable electric fences
• Deer fence

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Fencing considerations
UCCE
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Reduce the temptations to predators
UCCE
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Pet management strategies

• Remove pet food from wildlife access
• Control your pets, especially at night
• If you confine your pets outside, make sure the
  area is safe

UCES
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Livestock management

• Some domestic animals attract predators
• mountain lions, bears, coyotes and dogs
• raccoons, opossums and skunks

www.aphis.usda.gov
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Predator avoidance

• Move animals
• Guard animals
• Destroy pest animals

www.lgd.org
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Move animals

• Moving animals into a barn or night pen will
  reduce access by predators

UCCE
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Guard animals

• Dogs
• Llamas
• Donkeys

UNCE, Reno, Nev.
UCCE
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Guard dogs

• They are not shepherds or herders they are
  protectors
• Great Pyrenees, Akbash, Kommodores, Anatolian
  shepherds, Maremmas
• Pros
• Effective - 84 of respondents in a Colorado
  survey rated dogs performance at deterring
  predators as excellent or good
• Deters many species of wildlife
• Cons
• May be aggressive to people
• Must be started as very young pups

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Llamas

• Pros
• 80 of owners rated them as effective or very
  effective
• Most effective for coyotes and dogs
• Need less training
• Need no special food
• Live longer than dogs
• Cons
• May be afraid of mountain lions (who isnt!)

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Donkeys

• Pros
• Least expensive
• Somewhat effective against dogs and coyotes
• Cons
• Not as effective as dogs or llamas
• 59 of Texas sheep producers rated donkeys good
  or fair

www.donkeybreedsociety.co.uk
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Destroying pest animals

• Some may be destroyed without permit
• Others require a permit
• Some may not be destroyed, such as threatened
  species, endangered species or other protected
  species

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Resources for help

• USDA Wildlife Services
• Local Cooperative Extension office
• State Department of Agriculture
• Licensed pest control companies
• Local animal control authorities
• Local health department
• Local branch of the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service
• Local National Wildlife Federation chapter

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Regulations in local area

• Dogs
• Coyotes
• Foxes
• Mountain lions
• Bears
• Wolves
• Moose
• Nuisance deer, etc.

texnat.tamu.edu/ranchref
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Other wildlife pests that affect domestic
livestock

• Black flies
• Mormon crickets
• Scorpions
• Snakes
• Pigeons
• Starlings
• Flickers and woodpeckers
• Canada geese
• Commensal rodents
• Pocket gophers, moles and voles

• Prairie dogs and ground squirrels
• Tree squirrels and chipmunks
• Beavers and muskrats
• Porcupines
• Rabbits
• Raccoon and opossums
• Large herbivores (deer and elk)
• Feral animals

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Black flies
www.okstate.edu
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Black fly control

• Use insecticides in still water
• Improve water quality
• Wear light-colored clothing to avoid bites
• Apply repellant to individual animals
• Try Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis (Bti)

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Mormon crickets
www.uwyo.edu
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Scorpions
western exterminators
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Scorpion control

• Remove all debris that provides cover for
  scorpions
• Keep grass closely mowed
• Store garbage containers off the ground in a
  frame
• Never bring firewood in the house unless you are
  going to place it directly on the fire.
• Plug holes, repair screens, and fill all cracks
  to limit access
• Manage their food source (insects and spiders)

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Snakes

• Most snakes are not poisonous
• Most snakes eat insects and/or rodents
• Snakes like cool, damp, dark shelters, which may
  lead them to your house or other buildings

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Poisonous snakes
Nebraska Game and Park Commission
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Nuisance birds

• Pigeons
• Starlings
• Woodpeckers
• Canada geese

Nebraska Game and Park Commission
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Environmental modifications
Wildlife Damage Image Collection, U of N,
Lincoln and USDA
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Frightening devices
www.myths.e2bn.org
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Repellants or toxicants, trapping and destroying
Nebraska Game and Park Commission
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Pigeons
Ryancordell.com
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Starlings
www.havahart.com
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Controlling starlings

• Cover crops with nets
• Clean up food sources
• Use foods that are difficult for starlings to eat
• Feed later in the day
• Exclude birds from nesting and roosting areas

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Woodpeckers and flickers
www.gardencone.com
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Canada geese



www.gardencone.com
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Controlling Canada geese

• Make sites less desirable by discontinuing public
  feeding
• Restrict easy access between land and water
• Plant less-palatable grasses
• Use dogs as a deterrent
• Provide an alternate food source

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Rodents and related varmints

• Commensal rodents (live near or with people)
• Mice
• Rats
• Gophers, moles and voles
• Prairie dogs and ground squirrels
• Tree squirrels and chipmunks
• Beavers and muskrats
• Porcupines

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Commensal rodents
www.ag.arizon.edu
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Controlling commensal rodents

• Remove food sources
• Exclude them by filling entry points
• Use traps or toxicants
• Get a cat

www.hpcsc.appstate.edu
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Pocket gophers
http//wdfw.wa.gov
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Moles
www.palaoes.com
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Voles
Laurie Smith, USDA
www.pestgon.com
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Prairie dogs and ground squirrels
Nebraska Game and Parks COmmission
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Tree squirrels and chipmunks
Nebraska Game and Parks COmmission
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Beavers and muskrats

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
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Controlling beavers and muskrats

• Exclude them from small water bodies
• Vary water levels
• Fence
• Protect trees
• Trap (need permit)
• Shoot (if allowed)

, U of N, Lincoln and USDA
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Porcupines
www.gpnc.org
ICWDM.org and USDA/WS
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Controlling porcupines

• Modify the habitat
• Exclude them
• Use tree trunk guards
• Trap
• Shoot

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Rabbits
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
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Raccoons and opossums
ICWDM.org and USDA/WS
www.unpronounceable.com
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Controlling raccoons and opossums

• Dont feed them! Store all food and garbage in
  secure containers
• Prevent access through pet doors
• Exclude them from compost piles and other sources
  of food

www.flicr.com
Never feed raccoons, no matter how cute they seem!
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More exclusion methods

• Eliminate access to potential den sites
• Secure poultry coops
• Fence vegetable gardens and orchards
• Fence ponds
• Protect bird feeders and nest boxes

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
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Large herbivores (deer and elk)
USDA NRCS
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USDA NRCS
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Feral animals
NRCS
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Feral animals
Kayentaanimalshelter.org
www.caspca.org
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Encouraging Wildlife
www.usda.gov
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(No Transcript)
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What wildlife needs

• Food a variety of plant species and types
• Water natural or artificial sources
• Shelter safety, shade, cover and nesting

USDA NRCS
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Plant selection

• Match food and shelter plants to the needs of the
  species you want to attract
• Create diversity
• Make sure plantings mesh with the needs and
  capabilities of your landscape

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
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More about plant selection

• Mix sizes, heights and types of vegetation
• Use native species
• Dont forget to maintain defensible space and
  basic safety

WSU Clark County Extension
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Water for wildlife

• All life needs water, including wildlife
• Wildlife can use natural or artificial sources

dlp.cs.berkeley.edu
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Natural water sources

• Should provide
• Plants along edges to provide stability
• Buffer areas of taller plants to provide cover
  for animals
• A variety of plants, giving wildlife a variety of
  habitats

birdsofoklahoma.net
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Artificial ponds or water holes

• Should provide
• Both shallow and deep areas
• Rocks along the edges
• Plants along the edges to provide stability
• Buffer areas of taller plants to provide cover
  for animals

www.farmphoto.com
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NRCS, Mont.
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Artificial water sources

• Troughs, tanks, etc. should have ramps to aid
  small animals and birds that might otherwise
  drown
• On-demand water sources for livestock should be
  routinely checked for problems
• What about mosquitoes?

www.farmphoto.com
94
Shelter and nesting habitat

• Provides shade, cover for nests and safety from
  predators
• Examples
• Grasses and shrubs for small animals and birds
• Evergreen trees for year-round protection
• Snags for certain birds and small animals

www.farmphoto.com
dlp.cs.berkeley.edu
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Selecting areas to be used for shelter or nesting
habitat

• Areas that are not easily cultivated or accessed,
  such as seeps, bogs, caves, roadsides, ditches,
  old buildings, etc.
• Orchards
• Riparian buffer strips
• Snags, fence rows, hedgerows

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Habitat for birds

• Need a combination of shrubs, trees and grasses
• Leave occasional downed and standing snags for
  nests and perches

dlp.cs.berkeley.edu
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For hummingbirds

• Hummingbirds are pollinators
• As with all birds, they need water, food and
  shelter
• Hummingbirds are omnivores (also eat insects and
  spiders)

birdwatching-bliss.com
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Attracting songbirds

• Identify the birds in your area
• Need food, water and shelter
• Some have special nesting needs
• Control potential predators, especially during
  the nesting season

USDA NRCS
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Habitat for upland game birds
BLM
NRCS
NRCS
USDA NRCS
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For birds of prey
Nebraska Game and Park Commission
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Habitat for bats

• Bats are great insectivores!
• Like all animals, they need water, food and
  shelter
• They are susceptible to pesticides

New Jersey Audubon Society
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For butterflies

• Like all animals, they need water, food and
  shelter
• Providing food and shelter for all four stages of
  their life cycle can ensure return visits

http//news.synearth.net
103
Native or solitary bees

• Recent studies indicate a reduction in
  pollinators worldwide
• Many areas are reporting the disappearance of
  honey bees
• Solitary bees are the unsung pollinators present
  in most areas

www.pollination.com
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Amphibians

• Salamanders
• Frogs
• Toads

www.statesymbolsusa.com
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
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Reptiles

• Turtles
• Snakes
• Lizards

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
www.arabpinto.com
Weforanimals.com
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Other species to attract???
calpoly.edu
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Pasture and landscape management to encourage
wildlife

• Keep wildlife needs in mind
• Provide access to water
• Avoid early season mowing and chemical weed
  control in tall grass
• Control noxious weeds
• Maintain habitat corridors
• Manage fuels to reduce fire hazards

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Fencing considerations to encourage wildlife

• Type and species of wildlife
• Continual or seasonal access needs
• Localized or full access

109
Avoiding impacts to wildlife requires

• Pet management
• Livestock management
• Pasture/landscape management
• Appropriate fencing

birdsofoklahoma.net
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www.flickr.com
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Living with wildlife

• Determine local wildlife population
• Determine wildlife goals for your property
• Complete exclusion
• Open access
• Combination
• Determine available wildlife habitat on your
  property

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Your design for your property

• Design or redesign your property layout and
  facilities, especially the portion dedicated to
  animal uses, to avoid impacts to the land and
  wildlife. Include
• Existing or proposed space, shelter, water and
  feed areas for animals
• Manure storage areas and schedules
• Fencing or strategies for avoiding predation or
  limiting wildlife access
• Landscaping or features to attract desirable
  wildlife