12 SIMPLE, EASY STEPS TO PREVENTING INJURIES TO WILDLIFE
1. Discard antifreeze.
Antifreeze is toxic to wildlife as well as pets.
2. Look for nests & dens before trimming or cutting trees.
If a tree must be removed, watch and listen for activity in and
around the tree to ensure that it is void of occupants before
cutting it down.
Whenever possible, avoid removing tress and shrubs in spring and summer, the prime nesting & dening seasons. If possible, wait until fall when the nests & dens are no longer in use. Dead snags with cavities as part of their structure are home to many types of wildlife species throughout the year and are valuable to the ecosystem if left standing.
3. Supervise dogs and cats.
Don't let your dogs and cats run free without being supervised.
Most cats carry a bacterium in their saliva called Pasteurella
multocida. This bacterium spreads quickly through an animal's
system, often causing infection and death within 48 hours. A
wild animal that has been bitten by a cat must receive medical
attention immediately if it is to survive.
4. Get the lead out!
Hunters and anglers can help prevent lead poisoning and teach
good stewardship to young hunters and anglers. Ecologically
sound alternatives, such as tin, bismuth, copper, steel, and
tungsten-nickel alloy, are available.
When lead fishing sinkers are lost through broken line or other means, birds including loons, swans, and ducks can inadvertently eat them. It is estimated that anglers in the US lose or discard 1,000 tons of lead fishing weights annually. This directly contributes to millions of waterfowl dying each year from lead poisoning. Raptors get lead poisoning second hand by eating ducks and mammals. This is why many states are adding laws that restrict the use of lead sinkers.
When lead ammunition is used in the hunting of large game, and gut piles are left behind or the animal is wounded and dies later, raptors such as eagles can swallow a piece of shrapnel as they scavenge on the remains of the dead animal. Lead-shot has been banned from use by waterfowl hunters and alternatives to lead shot are being made available for big game hunting.
5. Collect fishing line, kite string and outdoor nets.
Prevent accidental injury by retrieving broken monofilament
fishing line and kite string. Wading birds, ducks and geese
often are injured every year getting tangled in monofilament
line that is left behind. Raptors fly into kite string left
in trees and becoming entangled.
Owls may be injured or killed flying into or becoming entangled in soccer and volleyball nets. Accidental injury may be prevented by lowering or furling nets after each use and removing them during the off-season.
6. Prevent your chimney or attic from becoming a nest site.
To avoid unwanted visitors and prevent their injury, install a
screen over your chimney opening, attic ventilation openings,
vent pipes and window fans. Chimneys and attics are often used
as nest or den sites by nesting birds. The wire, when well
secured, will prevent wildlife from entering your home.
7. Keep bird feeders clean.
Keep feeders clean to prevent spread of disease. Keep seed dry
and remove seed from the ground around your feeder. Seed that
becomes wet can become a host for mold and bacteria that can
cause birds to become sick.
8. Proper use of pesticides.
Spraying lawns with fertilizers and pesticides result in wildlife
poisonings every year. Do not spray areas where bird feeders at
located. Seeds falling from the feeder may become contaminated
from the fertilizers and pesticides. If you have a rodent problem
in your building consider using traps instead of poisons. Many
wildlife species can become poisoned if they capture and eat a
mouse or rat that has eaten poison and left the building.
9. Do not litter.
Every year thousands of raptors and other wild animals are
killed by vehicles. Food scraps thrown from your vehicle
attracts rodents and other animals. To minimize rodents and
road kill please do not throw food from your vehicles.
10. Do not harass or disturb wildlife.
State and federal laws protect all wild animals. Teach
children that we must share this planet with wildlife.
11. Alert birds to windows and glass doors.
Many birds are injured each year from flying into windows or
glass doors. Birds fly into glass because they do not perceive
it as a solid object and may see reflections of the outside.
Remedies for preventing injuries include:
- High rise buildings should turn off lights at night especially during migration.
- Place feeders away from windows where a bird chasing other birds may not see the window
- Hang a chime or other object that moves in the wind outside the window to break up the reflection and the movement may spook the bird
- If a bird does hit your window and is unable to fly away, place it in a box with air holes and put it in a warm, quiet area for one hour. If it is unable to fly away after the hour, take it to the nearest wildlife rehabilitator for medical treatment.
12. Leave healthy baby wild animals in the wild.
As a rule, leave baby alone. A parent may be close by or will
soon return. Do not raise baby wild animals by yourself. Not
only is it illegal but the proper diet and development of
social & survival skills is necessary. Return baby birds
found on the ground to the nest. If you find a baby that cannot
be returned, contact the nearest wildlife rehabilitator.