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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Steve's wildlife relocation comments

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  • From: "Jay Cutts" <cutts@cuttsreviews.com>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Steve's wildlife relocation comments
  • Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 11:04:31 MDT

Alan,

Have you tried keeping a Catholic priest around odd corners of the property to
deal with those Rabbi outbreaks? Works for me.

Jay

>
> The danger of where Steve is taking this discussion is that some might think
> how wildlife professionals deal with the relocation of bears justifies their
> unprofessional relocation of common fruit pests like raccoons and
> squirrels. There is no relevance at all as far as moving pest animals to
> new sites.
>
> I have about an acre of bearing fruit trees on my property of 3 acres. I
> have had seasons where I've trapped as many as 30 raccoons which is simply
> an obscene quantity from any ecological viewpoint. These animals are like
> outdoor rats (however beautiful you may find them) that thrive in the
> presence of humans. Pet food and garbage have increased their numbers and
> human elimination of their predators has made any natural balancing
> impossible- short of an occasional rabbi outbreak or other disease.
>
> What is the justification for the relocation of such an animal other than to
> spare someone the discomfort of having to kill it? I often wonder how this
> raccoon population must affect songbirds and other wildlife. Raccoons are
> well known bird nest raiders.
>
> Speaking of birds, squirrels benefit from what I consider to be the ignorant
> feeding of birds. Feeders deliver the majority of grain to rodents beneath
> them even if they are designed to deny rodents access. The birds themselves
> knock most of the grain off while feeding. I often see well developed rat
> tunnels beneath bird feeders. In the west there will also be ground
> squirrel tunnels. Red and Grey squirrels will swarm to bird feeding sites
> in winter when conditions would otherwise bring their populations down
> (naturally).
>
> It's interesting that the managers of these feeders (homeowners) are
> probably demographically heavily slanted to putting a high priority on
> environmental issues. I believe that it is far superior for homeowners to
> create a landscape that feeds birds in a more natural manner by establishing
> plantings that nourish their birds.
>
> I have a very difficult time controlling squirrels and protecting fruit on
> sites where the homeowner maintains a bird feeder and in neighborhoods where
> such feeders are common.
>
> The point I'm making is that species whose populations are exploding due to
> human intervention have no place to be relocated because adequate or
> excessive populations of the animals already exist most anywhere you can
> take them. Only a wildlife expert would be aware if a given location would
> benefit from the addition of any given animal.
>
> --00151747afcc5aad750472d34bf6
> Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
> <div>The danger of where Steve is taking this discussion is that some might=
> think how wildlife professionals deal with the relocation of bears justifi=
> es their unprofessional relocation of common fruit pests like raccoons and =
> squirrels.=C2=A0 There is no relevance at all as far as=C2=A0moving pest an=
> imals to new sites.=C2=A0 </div>
>
> <div>=C2=A0</div>
> <div>I have about an acre of bearing fruit trees on my property of 3 acres.=
> =C2=A0 I have had seasons where I&#39;ve trapped as many as 30 raccoons whi=
> ch is simply an obscene quantity from any ecological viewpoint.=C2=A0 These=
> animals are like outdoor rats (however beautiful you may find them) that t=
> hrive in the presence of humans.=C2=A0 Pet food and garbage have increased =
> their numbers and human elimination of their predators has made any natural=
> balancing impossible- short of an occasional rabbi outbreak or other disea=
> se.</div>
>
> <div>=C2=A0</div>
> <div>What is the justification for the relocation of such an animal other t=
> han to spare someone the discomfort of having to kill it?=C2=A0 I often won=
> der how this raccoon population must affect songbirds and other wildlife.=
> =C2=A0 Raccoons are well known bird nest raiders.</div>
>
> <div>=C2=A0</div>
> <div>Speaking of birds, squirrels benefit from what I consider to be the ig=
> norant feeding of birds.=C2=A0 Feeders deliver the majority of grain to rod=
> ents beneath them even if they are=C2=A0designed to deny rodents access.=C2=
> =A0 The birds themselves knock most of the grain off while feeding.=C2=A0 I=
> often see well developed rat tunnels beneath bird feeders.=C2=A0 In the we=
> st there will also be ground squirrel tunnels.=C2=A0 Red and Grey squirrels=
> will swarm to bird feeding sites in winter when conditions would otherwise=
> bring their populations down (naturally).</div>
>
> <div>=C2=A0</div>
> <div>It&#39;s interesting that the managers of these feeders (homeowners) a=
> re probably demographically heavily slanted to putting a high priority on e=
> nvironmental issues.=C2=A0 I believe that it is far superior for homeowners=
> to create a landscape that feeds birds in a more natural manner by establi=
> shing plantings that nourish their birds.</div>
>
> <div>=C2=A0</div>
> <div>I have a very difficult time controlling squirrels and protecting frui=
> t on sites where the homeowner maintains a bird feeder and in neighborhoods=
> where such feeders are common.=C2=A0 </div>
> <div>=C2=A0</div>
> <div>The point I&#39;m making is that species whose populations are explodi=
> ng due to human intervention have no place to be relocated because adequate=
> or excessive populations of the animals already exist most anywhere you ca=
> n take them.=C2=A0 Only a wildlife expert would be aware=C2=A0if a=C2=A0giv=
> en location would benefit from the addition of any given animal.=C2=A0</div=
> >
>
> <div>=C2=A0</div>
> <div>=C2=A0</div>
> <div>=C2=A0</div>
>
> --00151747afcc5aad750472d34bf6--
>



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