   Discouraging Unwelcome Wildlife - February 6, 2002 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County Last week, I wrote about modifying the four habitat elements (food, water, shelter, and space) to attract wildlife species. The same concepts can be used to discourage unwanted visitors. Some elements are modified easier than others, but the principles are clearly understandable. Nuisance animals have habitat requirements too, and removing the attractant is the best long-term solution. The most common nuisance wildlife species that I get calls about are: javelina, gophers, rock squirrels, woodrats (packrats), rabbits, raccoons, skunks, beaver, deer, and elk. All of these animals are not considered pests when they are in a wildland (non-agricultural/non-residential) setting. Prevention is Long-Term, Control is Short-Term. Before discouraging (or controlling) any nuisance pest, be it insect, mammal, or bird, you must correctly identify it. A case of mistaken identity can lead to a lot of wasted resources and effort. Many of nuisance wildlife species are nocturnal. Therefore, the identification of these animals must be based on observations of tracks, droppings, trails, burrows, tooth marks, and other characteristic types of damage. An exception is birds, which are active in the daylight hours. After identification, you should also be aware of the legal status of the pest species. Many mammals and bird species and certain reptiles, amphibians and fishes are protected by state and/or federal laws. However, some common pest species are not protected and can be controlled, if they are causing damage. These animals may be controlled by any legal means, which meet the requirements and are authorized under Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Title 17, Section 239. In Arizona, these species include: woodrats, Norway rats, house mice, ground (rock) squirrels, pocket gophers, rock doves (Pigeons), starlings, and English sparrows. Prevention options are related to the individual species habitat requirements and behavior. Prevention measures include: habitat modification, exclusion, frightening, and repellents. Habitat modification and exclusion are very reliable prevention methods. Something as simple as feeding pets inside rather than outside or building a fence often remedies the situation. Frightening and repellents may also be employed, but many animals may habituate to these practices. I find exclusion works best and causes the least disruption to non-target species (fencing, covering, hardware cloth, sheet metal, etc.). Control measures include: trapping (lethal or live), toxicants, fumigants, shooting, and biological control. Depredation permits for state regulated species may be obtained from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD). In addition to depredation permits, some species, both protected and non-protected, are subject to release regulations for live trapped animals. This means calling AGFD before live trapping and to identify an appropriate release site. Shooting is only an option if you are one mile from another dwelling and after obtaining a depredation permit from AGFD. Lethal control methods are distasteful to many people, even gardeners. For this reason, live trapping is often used to "save" the offending animal. It can be effective. However, in many cases the animal is released too close to the trapping site and returns. Conversely, it is released in occupied territory of another individual of the same species and it competes for resources and territory in unfamiliar surroundings. Often, these relocated animals die a slow death from starvation or wounds inflicted by territorial battles. Now, in anticipation of being accused of being a ruthless killer, let me set the record straight. I am not telling everyone to go out and kill all "bad" wildlife and protect "good" wildlife. I am simply making readers aware of the law and their available options. Now for some specific pests and viable strategies that may help in minimize damage after attractants are removed and habitat is modified. Pocket Gophers: trapping, exclusion (hardware cloth or concrete to a 3 foot depth), fumigants, toxicants, repellents, and resistant plants. Rock Squirrels: trapping, fumigants, toxicants, eliminate habitat (rock and brush piles), exclusion, flooding. Woodrats: exclusion (buildings), trapping, anticoagulants, obliterate dens. Skunks: exclusion, remove attractant, live trap, repellents (ammonia/moth balls). Raccoons: exclusion, remove attractant, live trap. Javelina: sturdy fencing (minimum 2 ½ - 3 feet tall and sturdy), electric fence, remove attractant. Cottontail Rabbits: trapping, exclusion (fence 2 feet above ground and 1 foot below), repellents. Deer and Elk: exclusion (sturdy 8-10 foot fences), repellents and frightening are marginally effective. Beaver: exclusion (low electric or wire fences), hardware cloth barriers around trees. When toxicants and/or other lethal means are employed, be mindful that non-target organisms (dogs, cats, birds, etc.) can be inadvertently affected. If there is any risk of secondary poisoning, do not use toxicants. Likewise, lethal traps should be placed in areas only accessible to pest species. Given time and equipment constraints, hiring a Wildlife Damage Control Professional may be the best solution for many situations. You will need to pay, but it may be the most cost effective solution in the long run. Names of licensed, trained professionals can be obtained by calling either AGFD or in the Yellow Pages under "Pest Control". I know of two web sites with wildlife damage control information. These are: wildlifedamage.unl.edu, an excellent resource from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, some practices may not be legal in Arizona and www.berrymaninstitute.org, another excellent resource from the Berryman Institute at Utah State University, again, some practices may not be legal in Arizona. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on gardening and pest control. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 or E-mail us at mgardener@verdeonline.com and be sure to include your address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or submit column ideas at the Backyard Gardener web site: http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/. |