Feeding Wildlife
Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
Issues with feeding wildlife
• Damage• Disease Transmission• Habituation• Public Safety Threats• Increased Wildlife Mortality
Damage
• Property damage– Home/garage/outbuilding/vehicle entries
• Agricultural depredations– Livestock– Rabbits and chickens– Bee Hives– Crop Damage
• Pet depredations
12
3
45
• Rabies• Mange• Canine Distemper• Toxoplasmosis• Raccoon Roundworm
Disease Transmission
• Occurs when:– Acclimated to human presence– Lack of threats– Unnatural food sources– Behavior rewarded
Habituation
Public Safety
• Habituated individuals• Aggressive behaviors• Home entries
Increased Wildlife Mortality
• Lethal removal of public safety threats• Lethal removal due to property damage• Death from disease (increased transmission at
feeding areas)• Roadkill mortality– Crossing major roads to access human food sources– Dispersal of young into other residential areas in
search of human food sources
Intentional /Direct Feeding
-Bird feeders, squirrel feeders, food piles for bears, feeding animals
by hand
INTENTIONALDirect
-Bird feeders, squirrel feeders, food piles for
bears, feeding animals by hand
Indirect-Garbage, pet food,
compost, picnic tables, BBQ’s
Unintentional / Indirect Feeding
-Garbage, pet food, compost, picnic tables, BBQ’s
• Direct Feeding• Bird Feeders• Intentionally
attracting bears
Leads to Indirect
• Lack of threats• Visiting Neighbors• Compost• Garbage
Behavioral Changes • Habituation
• Home invasions
Increased Chance of Mortality
Bears as an example
• Northampton has many areas of excellent natural bear habitat
• Allowing bears access to human-food sources dramatically increases human-bear conflicts– Environmental Police respond to more bear calls
in Northampton than any other town
#298 2010-2011#309; 2010#323; 2010-2011#269; 2009#280; 2009
Bear 298 and 323
Feeding Sites
Bear 323 – Feeding site
Incidents related to feeding in Northampton
• Increased use of residential areas by bears• Damage to bird feeders/garbage cans
reported across town• Damage to chicken coops and rabbit hutches• Attacks on pygmy goats and pigs• Home and shed break-ins• Bear eating food meant for feral cats led to
denning next to I-91 and office park
Preventing Wildlife Conflicts
• You MUST address all types of feeding– Indirect• Garbage, dumpsters, pet food, compost, etc.
– Direct• Bird feeders, hand feeding wildlife, etc.
• Everyone MUST participate• Enforcement will be necessary• Will take time
Questions?
Stone Wall Drive, Today: 11am
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