Transcript Problems Caused by Wildlife - Shields Valley Ag Department

Problems Caused by Wildlife
Question of Day: What are
two problems caused by
wildlife?
Main Problems Caused by Wildlife
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Hazards to human health or safety
Losses of livestock and poultry
Damage to crops and property
Structural damage to personal property
Damage to timber and other natural
resources
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Problems are caused by various
wildlife species.
What human health problems are
associated with wildlife?
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Many diseases that cause illness
and death in humans are carried
and transmitted by wildlife.
Zoonoses are diseases
transmissible from animal to man.
There are over 200 such diseases.
What human health problems are
associated with wildlife?
Lyme disease
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Caused by bacteria and is transmitted
by different species of black legged
ticks.
The highest risk area for this disease is
along the Mid Atlantic and northern U.S.
Wear protective clothing when outside.
Cover all exposed skin.
What human health problems are
associated with wildlife?
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Lyme Disease
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Mosquitoes feed on infected birds
The infected mosquitoes than bite
humans and animals.
Even if bitten by an infected
mosquito, you have less than a 1%
chance of infection.
What human health problems are
associated with wildlife?
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West Nile Virus
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Caused by mosquito bites
Affects people, horses, and birds
most commonly.
Symptoms include low-grade fever,
rash or death.
WNV was first diagnosed in the U.S.
in 1999.
What human health problems are
associated with wildlife?
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Rabies
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Transmitted by contact with the
saliva of an infected animal (bite or
scratch).
Although human can get rabies from
wild animals, the most common way
to get it is from infected domestic
dogs.
What human health problems are
associated with wildlife?
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Bubonic Plague
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A disease that is transmitted by fleas
that are infected by their host rodent.
Symptoms include swollen and very
tender lymph gland, accompanied by
pain, fever, chills, and headache.
The average occurrence has been
10-20 cases per year.
Loss of Livestock and Poultry
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Predators such as coyotes may
prey on sheep, calves, or even
pets.
Loss of Livestock and Poultry
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Economic Problems
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In 1999, sheep and goat producers lost
an estimated $19.9 million due to
predation.
In 2000, cattle producers’ losses to
predators were worth $51.6 million.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/protecting_livestock/livestock_losses.shtml
Damage to crops and property
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Wildlife damages to U.S. agriculture was
estimated at $944 million during 2001.
Corn alone accounts for more than $90
million annually in crop damages from
wildlife.
Damage to crops and property
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Overall bird populations cause an
estimated annual lose to U.S.
agriculture of $100 million.
Sunflower and rice crops are a favorite
of blackbirds, leading to $4 to 11 million
worth of losses annually.
Apples, blueberries and grapes have
been estimated at more than $40
million in damages.
Damage to crops and property
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Deer and smaller mammals
consume tree seedlings and other
crops.
During one year in Pennsylvania,
white tailed deer cause crop losses
totaling $30 million.
Structural damage to personal
property
Structural damage to personal property
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Bats
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Use high frequency sound waves to
navigate and find food.
They are nocturnal
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Something that sleeps during the day
and is active at night.
They scratch and crawl through attics
and walls damaging the walls and
leaving droppings behind.
Damage to timber and other natural
resources
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An estimated $100 million in
damage each year to private
and public property is due to
beavers.
Mississippi catfish farmers
lose nearly $6 million worth of
fingerlings to fish eating
birds.
Wildlife Damage Management
Program
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Successful wildlife damage
management, regardless of the
species involved, depends on the
four basic components.
Problem Identification and Damage
Assessment
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Identify the species causing the
problem
Estimate the number of animals
Assess the extent of the damage
Evaluate biological and social
factors related to the problem
Understanding the biology and ecology of
the nuisance wildlife species
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Understanding the life history of the
nuisance species can help you
determine the best approach to
resolving the problem
This includes what it eats, habitats
it prefers and behavior it exhibits
Selection of prevention and
management techniques
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An IPM strategy is often the best
way to deal with wildlife problems
Several methods are combined to
include short- and long-term
approaches that result in a
reduction of wildlife damage
Evaluation of the Management
Program
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Periodically evaluate the
management program
Make sure that the cost of the
program is lower than the reduction
of damage due to wildlife
(basically your not losing money on
the program)
Prevention and Control Methods
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Exclusion of problem wildlife
Habitat modification
Frightening
Repellents
Toxicants
Fumigants
Prevention and Control Methods
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Trapping
Shooting
Nontraditional methods
Planning for prevention of wildlife
conflicts
Habitat Modification
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House attics for bats and squirrels
Woodpiles and thick vegetation for snakes
and rodents
Crawlspaces under houses for skunks,
opossums and other small mammals
Empty warehouses and overhanging
structures for pigeons
Thick, dense timber and other vegetation
adjacent to agricultural crops for deer
Frightening Techniques
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Visual deterrents such as effigies of
owls, hawks or people
Noise deterrents such as firecrackers,
gunfire, propane cannons, sirens,
barking dogs, predator calls and
recordings of distress calls
Odor deterrents such as predator urine
or feces
Some Examples of what works
Chipmunks
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Exclusion
 ¼ inch hardware cloth around (and
buried) gardens and flower beds
 Cover down spouts
Habitat modification
 Wood piles, mulch, plants located
away from structures
Squirrels
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Repellents – Thiram painted on trees
Toxicants – Zinc phosphide 5% tracking gel
(RUP)
Fumigants – None registered
Traps – Leg hold, box, cage, conibear
Shooting – where legal; BB or .22-cal w/ rat
shot
Squirrels cycle – efforts in some years with
high density may prove futile
Lets try an example Scenario
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Opossum in the shed/garage and is
eating the dog/cat food.
What should we do?
References
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http://extension.missouri.edu/p/g94
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