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Taking feeders in at night is indeed totally effective; It is initially
a nuisance that ultimately becomes the normal routine of bird feeding -
and it certainly beats the extreme nuisance/cost of hunting
for/replacing lost feeders.
Eleanor Lindsay
On 02/11/2011 11:54 PM, Helene Van Doninck wrote:
> Hi Jeff, I agree with the responses you featured in highlighted text in
> your email. Relocated animals are taken from their food source and
> territory, have no idea where the food/good habitat in their new place ,
> and are often driven from the new territory by existing animals. Many of
> them simply try to make their way back to their old territory, constantly
> having negative interaction with animals whose territory they cross. Fact:
> many relocated animals will not survive. Also, depending on the time of
> year, you may be leaving orphans. There is also not a lot of open territory
> left for these animals.
>
> The main thing to consider though...is the reason they are hanging around
> in the first place. Most times ( as in your situation with feeders, suet,
> nesting sites), there is an attractant that keeps them coming back. Often
> trying to figure out why they are there and dealing with that issue will
> make them leave. Raccoons are largely nocturnal and follow predictable
> patterns each night based on previous experience. If they know you have
> food available or a desirable nesting place ,they will return. If you take
> your feeders in at night and repair the spots where they gain access to
> nest sites, they will move on. Wildlife solutions start with home repair,
> truly. Also simply removing a few "problem" animals is not going to solve
> anything. If raccoon A figures out you have a good spot and you remove him,
> that territory is opened up to raccoon B who undoubtedly will find the
> same bonanza of food/territory. Remove Raccoon B and C moves in.and so on.
> There are humane ways to discourage most wildlife, and they often start
> with removing the attractant and setting up barriers to accessing desirable
> spaces ( i.e. fix the hole in your fascia, soffit, etc).
>
> Other thoughts. ..during nesting season, the most common wildlife invasion
> time..they are looking for warm, dark, quiet places to have their litters.
> Make it NOT warm dark and quiet and they will usually leave with their
> young ( one at a time) over a 24-48 hour period. Some suggestions include
> illuminating the area with a light or spot light..and placing a radio on a
> talk station playing LOUDLY during their most active time...that will
> usually make them leave. Most animals have alternate den sites and can
> relocate the family there. If anyone has particular issues where I can help
> advise on humane solutions to wildlife interaction issues, please call or
> email me and I will see what I can do. Also, try to have a little empathy
> where you can, habitat loss means many of these animals don't have a lot of
> options. Try to work with them instead of always wanting to get rid of
> them. There are ways to do this.
>
> thanks
>
> Helene
>
> On Wed, Nov 2, 2011 at 10:29 AM, Jeff Hiltz<4x4play@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm just curious on the good, the bad and the ugly of relocating wildlife.
>>
>> Last year we were having issues with Raccoon's around our residence here
>> in Springhill, a family of Raccoon's had taken up residence in our
>> neighbor's garage. They had dug a tunnel and ripped a part of the garage
>> wall down and where living in my neighbor's old car that he has plans for
>> restoration in the future. Then in the evening the raccoon's were stealing
>> our suet's, suet baskets and knocking our feeders down and being an overall
>> nuisance.
>>
>> Frustrated with the damage that they had done to his garage and old car,
>> my neighbor told me that he had plans to kill the Raccoon's. After hearing
>> this and my wife and I being compassionate nature and wildlife lovers, I
>> told my neighbor that I will get a live trap from DNR and relocate them to
>> the banks of a river about 5 km outside of town.
>>
>> I waited until the raccoon's were grown enough that they were out and
>> fending for themselves, then set the trap up in the backyard and was
>> catching and relocating one raccoon a night. I did this for two weeks
>> relocating nine raccoon's until I wasn't finding any more in the trap and
>> not seeing anymore raccoon's around our yards.
>>
>> My neighbor was happy and filled the hole and mended his garage and hasn't
>> had a problem since.
>>
>> On a message board that I frequent often I told my story of the raccoon's
>> and my relocating them. Then just recently another member of the forum was
>> telling us how he was dealing with a couple raccoon's which got one of the
>> other members thinking about reason's raccoon's should not be relocated, he
>> seems to have some very valid points but even so, I would not have the
>> heart to allow my neighbor to kill them or to take them somewhere that
>> will euthanize them.
>>
>> I know this forum has some very well educated nature and wildlife persons
>> and I would love to hear what the experts think.
>>
>> Here is the message that the other message board member wrote:
>>
>> *Why is it sometimes necessary to euthanize a nuisance animal that has
>> been trapped rather than releasing back to the "wild?"*
>>
>> There are several biological reasons why it's generally not a good idea to
>> move wildlife to new areas. It is difficult to find rural areas without any
>> humans nearby. And moving wildlife only puts it into another animal's
>> territory, which can create stress, injury and even death. Other reasons
>> include the following:
>> 1) Relocation can be stressful to wild animals. They may experience
>> elevated heart rates and breathing rates, high blood pressure, acute
>> changes in blood chemistry and depressed appetites. These factors, in turn,
>> may make them more vulnerable to disease or predation.
>> 2) Relocated animals have no prior experience with their new homes, which
>> immediately puts them at a disadvantage for finding food and shelter. Many
>> wildlife species, such as bobcats, foxes, opossums and raccoons, are common
>> and widespread. That means when they become nuisance animals there is no
>> place to relocate them that doesn't already have established populations of
>> those animals.
>> 3) Animals released in a new territory are often out-competed for food and
>> shelter by resident animals.
>> 4) Relocating nuisance animals can increase the spread of disease. In some
>> cases, animals become nuisances when they get sick because they look for
>> easy sources of food and may become less fearful of people. Just as we
>> humans spread disease among our populations by traveling, animals can bring
>> diseases into new areas when they are relocated, thus affecting the
>> resident animal populations.
>> 5) Animals that are relocated often leave the area where they are
>> released. Relocated animals may wander for miles, leading to further
>> interactions with wildlife and people.
>>
>> I'm not saying we should just randomly go about trapping and killing
>> everything. But in situations where there are problem wildlife I'd prefer
>> to have them euthanized than released to a likely slow painful death of
>> starvation, disease or wounds from fights.
>>
>> That's my take on it.
>>
>> Kristian
>>
>> Thank you!!
>>
>> Sincerely!
>> Jeff in Springhill
>>
>
>
--Boundary_(ID_t+6Brf4n9KFh7A/pgm2gWg)
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<font size="+1">Taking feeders in at </font>night is indeed totally
effective; It is initially a nuisance that ultimately becomes the
normal routine of bird feeding - and it certainly beats the extreme
nuisance/cost of hunting for/replacing lost feeders.<br>
<br>
Eleanor Lindsay<br>
<br>
<br>
On 02/11/2011 11:54 PM, Helene Van Doninck wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAA6vO3oD649yEENsJP_UN9QuyjjrYoetaULS+w13U8bHwDQoNA@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Hi Jeff, I agree with the responses you featured in highlighted text in
your email. Relocated animals are taken from their food source and
territory, have no idea where the food/good habitat in their new place ,
and are often driven from the new territory by existing animals. Many of
them simply try to make their way back to their old territory, constantly
having negative interaction with animals whose territory they cross. Fact:
many relocated animals will not survive. Also, depending on the time of
year, you may be leaving orphans. There is also not a lot of open territory
left for these animals.
The main thing to consider though...is the reason they are hanging around
in the first place. Most times ( as in your situation with feeders, suet,
nesting sites), there is an attractant that keeps them coming back. Often
trying to figure out why they are there and dealing with that issue will
make them leave. Raccoons are largely nocturnal and follow predictable
patterns each night based on previous experience. If they know you have
food available or a desirable nesting place ,they will return. If you take
your feeders in at night and repair the spots where they gain access to
nest sites, they will move on. Wildlife solutions start with home repair,
truly. Also simply removing a few "problem" animals is not going to solve
anything. If raccoon A figures out you have a good spot and you remove him,
that territory is opened up to raccoon B who undoubtedly will find the
same bonanza of food/territory. Remove Raccoon B and C moves in.and so on.
There are humane ways to discourage most wildlife, and they often start
with removing the attractant and setting up barriers to accessing desirable
spaces ( i.e. fix the hole in your fascia, soffit, etc).
Other thoughts. ..during nesting season, the most common wildlife invasion
time..they are looking for warm, dark, quiet places to have their litters.
Make it NOT warm dark and quiet and they will usually leave with their
young ( one at a time) over a 24-48 hour period. Some suggestions include
illuminating the area with a light or spot light..and placing a radio on a
talk station playing LOUDLY during their most active time...that will
usually make them leave. Most animals have alternate den sites and can
relocate the family there. If anyone has particular issues where I can help
advise on humane solutions to wildlife interaction issues, please call or
email me and I will see what I can do. Also, try to have a little empathy
where you can, habitat loss means many of these animals don't have a lot of
options. Try to work with them instead of always wanting to get rid of
them. There are ways to do this.
thanks
Helene
On Wed, Nov 2, 2011 at 10:29 AM, Jeff Hiltz <4x4play@gmail.com> wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I'm just curious on the good, the bad and the ugly of relocating wildlife.
Last year we were having issues with Raccoon's around our residence here
in Springhill, a family of Raccoon's had taken up residence in our
neighbor's garage. They had dug a tunnel and ripped a part of the garage
wall down and where living in my neighbor's old car that he has plans for
restoration in the future. Then in the evening the raccoon's were stealing
our suet's, suet baskets and knocking our feeders down and being an overall
nuisance.
Frustrated with the damage that they had done to his garage and old car,
my neighbor told me that he had plans to kill the Raccoon's. After hearing
this and my wife and I being compassionate nature and wildlife lovers, I
told my neighbor that I will get a live trap from DNR and relocate them to
the banks of a river about 5 km outside of town.
I waited until the raccoon's were grown enough that they were out and
fending for themselves, then set the trap up in the backyard and was
catching and relocating one raccoon a night. I did this for two weeks
relocating nine raccoon's until I wasn't finding any more in the trap and
not seeing anymore raccoon's around our yards.
My neighbor was happy and filled the hole and mended his garage and hasn't
had a problem since.
On a message board that I frequent often I told my story of the raccoon's
and my relocating them. Then just recently another member of the forum was
telling us how he was dealing with a couple raccoon's which got one of the
other members thinking about reason's raccoon's should not be relocated, he
seems to have some very valid points but even so, I would not have the
heart to allow my neighbor to kill them or to take them somewhere that
will euthanize them.
I know this forum has some very well educated nature and wildlife persons
and I would love to hear what the experts think.
Here is the message that the other message board member wrote:
*Why is it sometimes necessary to euthanize a nuisance animal that has
been trapped rather than releasing back to the “wild?”*
There are several biological reasons why it’s generally not a good idea to
move wildlife to new areas. It is difficult to find rural areas without any
humans nearby. And moving wildlife only puts it into another animal’s
territory, which can create stress, injury and even death. Other reasons
include the following:
1) Relocation can be stressful to wild animals. They may experience
elevated heart rates and breathing rates, high blood pressure, acute
changes in blood chemistry and depressed appetites. These factors, in turn,
may make them more vulnerable to disease or predation.
2) Relocated animals have no prior experience with their new homes, which
immediately puts them at a disadvantage for finding food and shelter. Many
wildlife species, such as bobcats, foxes, opossums and raccoons, are common
and widespread. That means when they become nuisance animals there is no
place to relocate them that doesn’t already have established populations of
those animals.
3) Animals released in a new territory are often out-competed for food and
shelter by resident animals.
4) Relocating nuisance animals can increase the spread of disease. In some
cases, animals become nuisances when they get sick because they look for
easy sources of food and may become less fearful of people. Just as we
humans spread disease among our populations by traveling, animals can bring
diseases into new areas when they are relocated, thus affecting the
resident animal populations.
5) Animals that are relocated often leave the area where they are
released. Relocated animals may wander for miles, leading to further
interactions with wildlife and people.
I'm not saying we should just randomly go about trapping and killing
everything. But in situations where there are problem wildlife I'd prefer
to have them euthanized than released to a likely slow painful death of
starvation, disease or wounds from fights.
That's my take on it.
Kristian
Thank you!!
Sincerely!
Jeff in Springhill
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">
</pre>
</blockquote>
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