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Dana Sanchez Extension Wildlife Specialist Assoc. Prof. in Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife [email protected] http://fw.oregonstate.edu/content/extension-wildlife extension.oregonstate.edu Habitat, a biological definition Habitat is the combination of factors • biotic • abiotic necessary to produce – Occupancy, survival, and reproduction by members of a given species 1 Needs provided by habitat: • • • • Food Water Cover Other species-specific needs Conflicts arise when: • Animals get into & occupy structures • Animals eat what we don’t want them to: – Ornamentals – Personal food – Production crops (plant or animal) • Animals cause structural damage or loss – Structures or crops • Animals pose a physical risk – direct or indirect 2 Basic tactics to avoid & manage conflicts • • • • Block Deter Remove the animal(s) Change the game – – Remove the “draw” or increase the risks/costs to the animal Thinking about animals in space Home range of an individual Range or location of a local population Geographic range of the species (pygmy rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis) Is shaded in gray. Selection of specific resources within a home range 3 Thinking about animals in time: Ground squirrels as an example of seasonality When to Use Specific Controls based upon activity periods and food sources of the California Ground Squirrel Winter Spring Summer Fall Major activity periods Adult Reproduction Juveniles Major food sources Green forage Seeds Best time for control Fumigation Baiting Trapping What critters might we host: Think about the perils of fragmentation & too much edge • Reduced interior area • Increased edge area • Incursion of exterior conditions in the interior • Increased permeability of interior to predators, competitors, invasives • Species-specific minimum patch size may be lost • Lost connectivity among patches 4 Big drivers of spatial and resource selection • FOOD, FOOD, FOOD – Win the game by maximizing your diet quality – Evolution gave you (animal) mental, visual, & olfactory “search images” that make it so you will recognize food and food quality – Evolution also equipped you with teeth, senses, behaviors, and digestive systems to deal with a wide or narrow range of foods • Omnivores • Generalist herbivores • Specialist herbivores • Carnivores, including insectivores: – specialization dictated by body size and equipment • Other specialists: Pollen-, nectar-, fruit-, etc. Food for Wildlife • Plant native food sources when possible • Supplement food? – Example, bird feeders – Where’s the cover? Think seasonal needs: – Example: See the Xerces Society’s website on native pollinators http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/gardens/ 5 Water for Wildlife • Provide sources year round • Bird baths, ponds, creeks, wetlands **Beware of what else comes to water –Invasive species concerns –Mosquito breeding risk Big drivers of animal behavior • FOOD vs. safety – “landscape of fear” for prey animals – Costs of violating territories • Mates & conspecifics 6 Habitat Arrangement Structure: Complex can be good! “hard” vs. “soft” edges 7 Types of cover •Hiding or escape cover •Thermal •Reproductive and/or structures for reproductive activities (e.g., nests) Ecological traps • It “looks” like habitat or a resource to an animal, but either: – Something crucial is missing – Something is present that reduces or prevents survival and reproduction • Animals don’t “know” that it is a trap • Animals falling victim to ecological traps are lost from the population: – abundance, genes, connectivity of populations 8 How do you prevent & manage wildlife conflicts? • Learn about the life cycle of wildlife species • Assess your level of tolerance, resources, and possible neighborhood solutions • Think ahead and implement exclusionary measures for long-term success • Use multiple tools tailored to your situation Assessment • Are there health or safety concerns? • How serious is the problem? - insignificant, tolerable, beyond acceptable • What is the context? - For example is the problem limited to certain seasons? – Scale (your yard, your neighborhood, focal path or resource) • Is the conflict or problem likely to reoccur? 9 When you need help: Your District Bio and Wildlife Control Operators • Call ODFW HQ with your address to get District Biologist contact info: 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6000 • WCOs are trained and licensed by OR Dept. of Fish and Wildlife • Private individuals/companies that charge for services • Check for locale, specialties, estimates • http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/license_permits_apps/wildl ife_control_operator_contacts.asp Blibbler, 2003 Joseph Blowers, White River Canyon, OR 2014 10 Prevent the conflict: An excellent solution, when possible • Institute exclusion solutions before the problems develop – Primary access point – Border of entire area – Around specific area of concern • Keep all food and garbage indoors or in wildlife-proof containers • Do not leave pet food out unattended • Don’t leave any foodstuff (living or non living) unattended • Consider short- and long-term solutions. Remember that hazing and/or trapping are only temporary solutions Why not just move them? • Low survival – Intra-specific aggression – Vulnerable to predation – Homing behavior = risks along the way – Likely to starve, do poorly • Disrupt resident population of natives • *Moving non-native invasives • Illegal in many cases • Disease transmission • Ethical issue of “moving the problem” 11 Raccoons: A case study in applying the basic tactics Prevent the conflict: Do not leave pet food out – It creates an excellent invitation! How to keep raccoons out • Install hardware cloth – bury at least 6 inches down and 6 inches out from the building • Replace and reinforce damaged screen vents • Keep crawl spaces tightly covered • Secure pet doors at night or use electronic pet doors. Use one-way doors. • Secure openings in chimney caps • Adopt a noisy dog* to patrol the yard 12 Fencing out deer family members • Should be a minimum of 6 ½ feet tall • Consider building to 8’ high • Metal fences are longerlasting and sturdier than polypropylene • Also: – – – Consider height Topography Maintenance A single electric wire along the top discourages deer from jumping over Charge has to be on for it to work Fence excludes predators as well Maintain bottom edge of fence: Fill in openings > 6” 13 Deter by taste • Commercial products are available – Most need reapplication after rain – Vary in effectiveness • *Non-commercial options may be available (hydrolyzed casein) • Check out the research by APHIS - A great source of current research! Scarecrows – localized deterrence Motion activated water deterrent Element of surprise Can be effective against birds, deer, turkeys May need multiple scarecrows to cover your garden area Assess foot traffic and wind… Must maintain battery or solar panel 14 Hazing: Deter with shock and awe • Water scarecrows • Rubber bullets (permit from ODFW) • Bangers, screamers, shell-crackers, propane cannons. • Need a permit from State Fire Marshal, signed by ODFW biologists. • Call Oregon State Fire Marshal at: (503) 373-1871, x272 or x274 Species ID matters when removing animals: Gophers Moles Botta’s pocket gopher; Photo by Skip Russell, CCL 2010 Photo by: Guaranteed Pest Control, http://guaranteedpestcontrol.net/identify_your_pest/roden ts/moles.htm 15 Removing animals: Toxicants as tools • READ THE LABEL. FOLLOW THE LABEL. • Fumigants or gas cartridges, when lit, burn through rodent tunnels producing carbon monoxide which kill rodents. • Please keep in mind secondary impacts of pesticides, because chemicals have no knowledge of what has swallowed them. – Improper application of zinc phosphide bait for voles kills 1000s to >10,000 geese per event – Usually 1-2 events per year in OR – If rodents are likely to have sub lethal doses of toxicants onboard, think about what other (living) tools you’re trying to employ (Your dog? Owls? Hawks? Foxes? Etc.) Keep Wildlife WILD! 16 Let’s not love wildlife to death: Habituation can be deadly, damaging, and dangerous • “Fed bears are dead bears” • A wild animal is always a wild animal • Habituation often centers on food – Decreased fear of humans – Increased aggressiveness for food or space – Competition/elimination of domestic “competitors” – Disease or waste products – Prey species attract predators SQUEAL ON PIGS! 888-268-9219 http://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/invasive_species/feral_swine.asp 17 Steps to opportunity enhancement • Discover what exists and where • Keep species and scale in mind • • • • • – Mapping can help: structures, soil, light, existing vegetation Evaluate – What are the possibilities? Visualize and sketch Strategize – Time, energy, $, and scale Implement! **Keep an eye to NOT CREATING ecological traps or advancing invasions 18