Act Now to Prevent Conflicts with Wildlife Later

Are you one of the thousands of people who called PAWS Wildlife Center this spring and summer for advice on solving a wildlife conflict? Well, the busy season for conflicts has come to an end. Late fall and early winter are quiet in comparison as wild babies have gone out on their own, and parents are no longer making and protecting nests and dens, or feeding their young.

But don't relax just yet. During this period of relative calm it is easy to forget about all those challenges we faced, and that the animals will be in their breeding cycle again in just a few months. Now, when wild animals are least active, is the best time for you to be most active in addressing points of potential wildlife confl icts on your property.

Here's what you can do:

• Inspect the outside of your home for any potential entry points and seal off any that you find. Even very tiny holes should be addressed - a mouse can squeeze through a dime-sized opening.
• Install a wildlife-proof cap on your chimney.
• Trim trees and hedges during this time of year instead of during the spring and summer when they are likely to contain fragile nests with babies in them.
• Transition your indoor/outdoor cat to an indoor-only cat, or build a safe, wildlife-proof outdoor enclosure for her. This will help keep your feline friend from being injured by wild animals, or harming vulnerable wildlife.
• Replace open compost piles with secure, wildlife-proof compost bins.

One of the most important things you can do, however, is to simply learn as much as possible about the animals who live around you. The more you know about their habits and behavior, the better prepared you are to identify potential areas of conflict and make preventative changes. Fewer headaches for you and for them.

If you are interested in more detailed tips for preventing future conflicts with wildlife, give us a call at 425.412.4040, or read more online.