[NatureNS] Relocating Wildlife??

Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2011 7:03:09 -0300
From: <duartess@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Cc: Helene Van Doninck <helene.birdvet@gmail.com>
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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.
>