Best practices for nuisance wildlife control operators in New York State

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Chapter one: Introduction

The DEC, wildlife, and you

Wildlife belongs to all New Yorkers—that's the law. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is the steward of this resource. The DEC has five major goals for its wildlife programs:

1. "to ensure that New York's wildlife populations are managed to meet all the demands placed upon them;
2. satisfy public requests for information about wildlife, its conservation, use, and enjoyment;
3. provide sustainable uses of New York's wildlife;
4. minimize the damage and nuisance caused by wildlife and wildlife users; and
5. foster and maintain an organization that efficiently and effectively achieves our goals."

Where do NWCOs fit in? In the past, government agencies and Cooperative Extension staff handled most wildlife complaints. But the demand for these services grew at a phenomenal rate, far outstripping the agencies' ability to respond. NWCOs met the need. From the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties, the industry grew over 300% in New York, according to Cornell researchers. Now, many nuisance wildlife complaints are handled by NWCOs.

That doesn't mean you work for the government. You don't work for the DEC; you're a private business-person. Still, this is an important partnership. And because the DEC licenses all NWCOs in New York, your actions reflect on the agency.

Other people are also critical to the DEC's efforts to manage wildlife, including hunters, trappers, and wildlife rehabilitators. Game species are managed primarily through hunting and trapping. Annual, regulated harvests are one of the most practical ways to manage wildlife populations and prevent conflicts with people.

Wildlife rehabilitators rescue and care for orphaned, sick, or injured animals, hoping to release them back into the wild. (Some rehabbers donate their time and pay for their supplies, while others run nonprofit organizations to support the effort.) Wildlife rehabilitators provide an important supplement to the DEC's efforts, which are generally focused on the health of populations, not individual animals. Without these volunteers, the DEC might need to divert resources that are needed elsewhere.

Nuisance wildlife control operators, trappers, hunters, and wildlife rehabilitators all deal with the DEC, mostly through its Bureau of Wildlife. Each group is heavily regulated but different laws apply. For example, wildlife rehabilitators are not allowed to charge for their services, while NWCOs are.

There are natural connections between these groups, especially because some people belong to more than one of them. Many people who belong to these different groups care deeply about wildlife and work for its conservation.

The public also takes great interest in the treatment of wildlife, according to many surveys, but opinions vary dramatically. For example, some people may be opposed to regulated harvests on principle and may never have considered how these harvests help to prevent wildlife conflicts. The public doesn't necessarily appreciate the contributions of trappers, hunters, NWCOs, or rehabbers. Especially in urban areas, you may be the first—or only—"wildlife person" your customer ever meets. It's something to think about. Some people assume that anyone holding a trap is a trapper, or that everyone who uses a firearm is a hunter, so whether or not you intend it, your actions may reflect on many others. What you do today could influence what you are allowed to do in the future.

There's another way that NWCOs, in their daily work, contribute to statewide efforts to manage wildlife. After suffering damage or a nuisance situation created by wildlife, some people may become hostile to the presence of wildlife and may no longer want to support habitat protection efforts. For them, wildlife has lost much of its value. By solving wildlife conflicts, NWCOs can help maintain public support for wildlife and habitat protection.

Next Section (Definition of Nuisance Wildlife)