Nuisance Wildlife Control & Animal Removal Services
A growing number of property owners are concerned about nuisance animals because they cause havoc in and around their homes, businesses, and public areas. To handle squirrels in your attic or raccoons rummaging through your trash humanely and effectively, you need to know what these animals look like, their behavior, and the steps you can take to trap them and get rid of them in an effective and humane manner.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the different types of nuisance wildlife, their biology and behavior, the damage and hazards they can cause, the legal implications of dealing with them, and the importance of humane wildlife removal.
What is a nuisance animal?
Animals that disturb, annoy, or harm human activities, property, or health are nuisance animals. Depending on the context and your perspective, “nuisance” can mean different things. In general, nuisance wildlife can cause problems like property damage, noise, odors, disease transmission, or safety hazards. Local laws and regulations can determine what animals can be considered nuisance wildlife and how said animal is treated or controlled.
Foto von Muhammad Murtaza Ghani auf Unsplash
Types of Nuisance Wildlife
Several animals are commonly considered nuisance wildlife, including:
Rodents (Mice and Rats) – These small mammals can invade homes and other buildings, causing damage to structures and wires while also posing a risk to human health.
Squirrels – While squirrels and flying squirrels are generally cute and harmless, they can cause a lot of trouble when they enter attics and cause damage by chewing on electrical wires or building nests.
Raccoons – These intelligent, curious animals can be quite troublesome when they invade human spaces, often rummaging through trash and nesting in attics.
Skunks – Known for their foul-smelling spray, skunks can dig holes under porches or decks, damaging the foundation or structure of your home.
Opossums – These small marsupials can gnaw on electrical wires and may carry diseases, posing a hazard to human and pet health.
But there are many other wildlife species that can be considered a nuisance, like deer, bats, bears, and even birds like pigeons, Canada geese, or seagulls.
Behavior and Biology of Nuisance Wildlife
Food, water, and shelter are often available in human-populated areas, which attract wild animals. These animals are opportunistic and adaptable, using all the resources available to them to survive.
Among the foods, raccoons eat are fruits, vegetables, small animals, and insects, which makes human trash an appealing source of sustenance.
Additionally, some species, like squirrels and mice, can cause severe damage to structures by gnawing on materials to access new spaces and maintain their teeth.
Damage and Hazards
Nuisance wildlife poses several risks to property owners, such as:
Physical damage– Animals like rats, squirrels, and raccoons can cause massive damage to structures, compromising the safety of entire buildings. In addition, there is a greater fire risk when they start chewing on electric wiring.
Health risks – Rodents, raccoons, and opossums can carry pathogens that can be transmitted to humans and domestic animals, such as leptospirosis, rabies, and hantavirus.
Garden and landscape damage – Some animals, like skunks, dig holes and uproot plants in search of insects to eat, causing damage to gardens and lawns.
Image by Bernhard Schürmann from Pixabay
Legal Implications
Dealing with wild creatures often involves legal implications. Depending on the species, there can be different laws governing trapping, relocating, and euthanizing wild animals. It’s crucial to research and understand these laws before taking any action involving wildlife to avoid potential fines or penalties.
The Importance of Humane Wildlife Removal
When dealing with wild animals, it’s essential to utilize humane wildlife removal methods. These methods focus on removing the animal from the property without causing harm and addressing the underlying cause of the animal’s presence to prevent future infestations and wildlife conflicts.
What You Can Do to Prevent or Resolve Nuisance Wildlife Issues
- Secure garbage cans: Keep garbage cans securely closed to prevent wildlife from accessing them.
- Remove attractants: Remove any attractants that may be drawing wildlife onto your property, such as pet food or bird feeders.
- Seal entry points: Seal off any entry points to your home or property, such as holes in the roof or walls, to prevent most wildlife from entering.
- Install fencing: Install fencing or other barriers to keep wildlife out of your yard or garden.
- Use repellents: Use non-toxic repellents to deter wildlife, such as motion-activated sprinklers or odor repellents.
- Trim vegetation: Trim trees and vegetation away from your home to prevent wildlife from using them as a pathway to your property.
- Contact wildlife professionals: If you are experiencing a nuisance wildlife issue that you cannot resolve on your own, contact wildlife control professionals to safely and humanely remove the animal. For more information, you can also always contact USDA wildlife services.
- Follow local regulations: Be aware of local regulations regarding wildlife control and follow them to ensure you are not violating any laws.
By taking these actions, you can prevent all wild creatures from taking refuge in your house or resolve nuisance wildlife issues on your property while protecting both the environment and the welfare of the species involved.
Nuisance management techniques
Humane wildlife removal methods may include:
- Blocking entry points.
- Removing attractants like accessible food sources.
- Providing humane traps like a live trap for capture. Even if you use live trapping methods, you might need a permit from your city before you can legally trap a wild animal.
What is essential when dealing with wild animals?
Dealing with all wildlife requires caution and respect. You need to ensure that both the animal and humans involved remain safe at all times. Some essential things to keep in mind when dealing with wildlife encounters include:
Safety is key! Only approach or attempt to handle wild animals if you have the necessary skills and equipment to do so safely.
Respect: Wild animals are not pets, and they have instincts and behaviors that may be unpredictable. Respect their space and do not interfere with their natural behavior.
Knowledge: It is essential to have a basic understanding of the behavior and habits of the wildlife species you are dealing with. This knowledge can help you assess the situation and take appropriate action.
Professional help: If you are not trained in dealing with wild animals, it is best to seek professional help. Contact local nuisance wildlife control authorities or nuisance wildlife control operators for assistance.
Humane treatment: Wild animals should be treated with kindness and respect. If you need to relocate an animal, do so humanely and in a way that minimizes stress and harm to the animal.
Keeping these things in mind can help ensure that your interactions with wild animals are safe, respectful, and humane.
Trapping Nuisance Wildlife
After trapping an animal, it can be relocated to a suitable habitat away from human-populated areas or released onsite if no relocation is possible. In any case, seeking expert advice before taking action with animal removal is always important! You need to make sure to follow all your residential rules and state law concerning the handling of many wildlife species and get a permit if needed.
Image by sjones68 from Pixabay
The Humane Animal Control Solution to wildlife problems
In conclusion, nuisance animals can be dangerous hazards, but with proper knowledge and understanding, they can be managed humanely and effectively. It’s essential to understand their biology and behavior and the legal implications of dealing with them before taking any action. By utilizing humane wildlife removal methods and preventing further access to your property, you can help keep unwanted wild animals at bay and remove nuisance wildlife for good.
