Wildlife Education

by Fred Bohler

This article is NOT an article against caring for wildlife, it is actually the opposite. It is to bring another level of awareness to wildlife lovers. A wildlife attractant can be; pet food put outside or stored outside, bird feeders, garbage (especially put out on the night before pick up) unsecured livestock or any item placed as to attract the wildlife to a specific area.

We all love seeing wildlife, watching birds and hearing nature. However, some wildlife may end up being detrimental to your home, if you inadvertently or overtly attract them. This can end up causing problems for you and the wildlife. Wildlife such as raccoons, squirrels, deer and bears can become ”habitualized” very quickly. These animals are motivated by food, which does not mean they are starving, it simply means they are creatures of opportunity and will go for the easy meal.

Wild animals have a natural fear and use caution around humans. When we attract them in, they associate humans with providing an easy meal. Attracted wildlife such as raccoons and squirrels may and often do start to use your home or a neighbors as a home for them selves. Not only will they use it for shelter, but they will also use it for a birthing den.

SQUIRRELS

Squirrels chewing the wood inside your attic can cause severe damage. I have seen roof trusses chewed in half, roof decking chewed through, and fascia and soffit chewed through by squirrels. Those are just some of the problems cause by attracting wildlife around the home.

It is true that squirrels and raccoons may come around despite any attractants but by attracting them they are almost guaranteed to join your family. In many states there are laws against attracting wildlife. In Florida for instance, it is illegal to feed raccoons, fox, sandhill cranes and bears. The reason this law was brought into effect is because of the detrimental effect on the wildlife, the human residents and their homes.

RACCOONS

Raccoons often push open soffit to get into the attics of homes. While in the attic they urinate and defecate all over the attic insulation. Also, they also will rip pool and patio screens to get to water or pet food.

Raccoons are very cute but they can very destructive if they loose their natural fear of humans. Feeding raccoons by hand is not safe, and can result in a bite. I have worked incidents involving raccoon bites where the raccoon has run off after the bite incident. Bites from raccoons have happened to people who were simply watching the raccoon eat from the outside cat bowl.

Raccoons with babies are generally nervous and may attack perceiving they have to protect their babies. If a bite is reported where a raccoon has run away after the bite, the health department will order many raccoons destroyed in the surrounding area. If one decides not to report a bite then that person takes the great risk of contracting rabies because raccoons are considered rabies vectoring animals.

BEARS

Feeding bears is just an all around bad idea for obvious reasons, at least one would think. A few people even feed bears by hand. Bears become extremely possessive of their food, a lot of animals do. But bears can literally become enraged when someone tries to take his or her food away. Why would anyone try to take food from a bear you ask? Well as far as I know, they haven’t.

What can happen though, is lets say you hand a bear a cookie. As the bear’s lips touch the cookie that is in your hand, the cookie becomes the bear’s cookie, and you now have hold of the bear’s cookie. This is the moment it happens the bear then defends his cookie and you get pounded by the bear. This happens all the time on a smaller scale with raccoons as well. However some people continue to feed bears even after they have been warned. There are a couple of thought processes to why these people continue to do so.

One is, some people think the reason the bear is coming around is because he is starving. Bears are omnivores; in Florida there is a plethora of edibles for bears. Hickory nuts, palm nuts, acorns, elderberries, blue berries, palm hearts to name a few. The same is true for fox, bobcat raccoon, opossum etc. Others think the bear will be safe if he just hangs out at their place, so they heavily bait him in.

I have been on several of these cases, where the bear has eventually gone into the home. Bears and raccoons become imprinted to humans very easily and then become habitualized to the behavior and will not stop. Secure garbage in a shed or garage if you live in a bear/raccoon area and do not leave pet food out side.

Below are photos and complainants statements from actual wildlife calls.

The upset resident wanted the photo as proof the raccoons were on the porch. Can you guess why the raccoon was there. OK I’ll tell you, thats a five gallon bucket full of bird seed next to the raccoon.

Below: The resident called in complaining about a bear on her porch, her home is located in a heavy bear populated area. Can you guess why the bear was there.

Below: The residents of this home were perturbed that a bear got into their garbage and caused this mess. The house was built in a bear zone, three overfilled garbage containers were on the side of the house. The residents stated, “oh well, if the bear has to be destroyed so be it”. The bear was not destroyed or caught. The residents were educated about living in a bear area.

Below: The residents stated: “We secured the garbage but the bear is still coming around”. The garbage looks a little unsecure to me.

People that have fed bears to the point they become habitual, have essentially created a monster. Not only for them, but their neighbors as well. I have caught bears that were in the houses of non-perpetrators.

Forced entry into home by a bear

The bear simply pushed out the window

A bear walked into a tent and grabbed this back pack full of treats, A bear sign was 25 yards from the tent. I know , I know, bears dont wear back packs. Florida is the only state I know of where its not against the law to have food in your tent in a bear area. “food in your tent in a bear area”= oxymoronic, why should you even need a warning, bears are killed because of this kind of ignorance.

Creating a monster is also true for alligators, however by feeding alligators, you create a mini t-rex and you are on his menu. In Florida anyone caught feeding Bears or alligators goes directly to jail.

If you keep away attractants, wildlife will still come around to naturally forage and it will be even more exciting to get a peek as they cautiously move on to relative safety. Not to be destroyed because they were simply trying to obtain an easy meal.

To learn about the laws on wildlife and wildlife attractants contact your state wildlife agency. Also feel free to contact me via email with a message title “wildlife attractants “ if you cannot find the answer to your question.