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&g This is a very interesting thread. Just today a friend of mine who lives in East Chezzetcook told me that a Bobcat that was making a nuisance of itself by going after her free roaming chickens and just hanging around the homes in the area, was captured in a live trap by her neighbour and taken to the far end of the inlet. I did wonder about whether there were any young left behind and what would become of this relocated Bobcat. Gayle MacLean Dartmouth ---- Helene Van Doninck <helene.birdvet@gmail.com> 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. >