{"id":371,"date":"2017-07-13T14:12:07","date_gmt":"2017-07-13T14:12:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nwco.net\/?page_id=371"},"modified":"2020-06-18T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2020-06-18T20:40:57","slug":"principles-of-wildlife-damage-management","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nwco.net\/?page_id=371","title":{"rendered":"Principles of Wildlife Damage Management"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Learn when and why an animal becomes a nuisance.<\/li>\n
  2. Learn why wildlife damage management (WDM) is about managing damage from wildlife, and not the management of wildlife.<\/li>\n
  3. Understand the definition of a wildlife control operator.<\/li>\n
  4. Explain the differences between biological and cultural carrying capacity, and how each relates to WDM.<\/li>\n
  5. Explain the 5 key objectives addressed when applying IWDM methods.<\/li>\n
  6. Learn why biological knowledge of wildlife species and habitat is important.<\/li>\n
  7. List the major strategies for resolving human-wildlife conflicts.<\/li>\n
  8. Learn why considering public attitudes and values towards wildlife is important.<\/li>\n
  9. Learn why training makes a wildlife control professional more competent in the field.<\/li>\n
  10. Know that wildlife control is highly regulated and that wildlife control professionals contribute to the conservation and management of wildlife species by working closely with state agencies.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Terms to Know<\/h2>\n

    Biological Carrying Capacity\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>The maximum number of individuals of a given population that an environment can sustain.<\/p>\n

    Cultural carrying capacity (CCC)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>The number of animals that a human or human community will tolerate in a given area.<\/p>\n

    Diversion<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Luring animals away from protected sites, usually with a food attractant.<\/p>\n

    Exclude\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>To prevent access, such as with the use of fences, netting, or securing holes.<\/p>\n

    Integrated pest management (IPM) <\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0An environmentally-responsible approach to pest management that involves the timely use of a variety of cost-effective methods to reduce damage to a tolerable level.<\/p>\n

    Relocation\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Moving an animal, but keeping it within its home range.<\/p>\n

    Repel\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>To drive away.<\/p>\n

    Translocation<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Moving a nuisance animal from one place to another outside of its home range.<\/p>\n

    Wildlife and wildlife habitat are important to all of us. Based on the 2016 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation<\/a>, over 103 million US residents fished, hunted, or watched wildlife in 2011. They spent almost $157 billion pursuing these recreational activities. Unfortunately, wildlife can damage property, be a nuisance, and pose threats to human health and safety. Economic losses associated with wildlife damage approach $3 billion annually, demonstrating a clear need for effectively addressing negative impacts. The purpose of this manual is to provide the information needed to help people resolve conflicts with wildlife. Wildlife damage management is a form of wildlife management and conservation and is highly regulated by federal and state laws.<\/p>\n

    This training manual is designed to help professionals manage wildlife problems by developing solutions based on the principles of integrated pest management<\/strong> (IPM) or Integrated Wildlife Damage Management<\/strong> (IWDM).). The emphasis is on controlling damage and protecting wildlife. Changes to the habitat or modifications to a building may be followed by capture or other control measures.<\/p>\n

    The training covers the basic skills needed to effectively deal with a variety of wildlife issues. It focuses on wildlife identification, knowledge of wildlife habitat and the skills to modify the habitat or capture, contain and dispatch an animal. Most people can master the techniques required to resolve wildlife conflicts using the methods of wildlife damage management.<\/p>\n

    Managing, controlling, and capturing wildlife is a highly regulated activity. Whether the conflict with wildlife is simple or complex, your response should follow be professional and ethical. Federal, state, and local laws and regulations must be obeyed. Safety practices should be followed. You will need knowledge of the biology, habitat, signs, and damage caused by various species and you must be an advocate for the wildlife. Be sure to review the species information after the training modules.<\/p>\n

    This training is important because animal capture, handling, containment and control techniques must be learned, practiced, and mastered. If an animal must be killed or euthanized, then the operator must be skilled in humane dispatch.<\/p>\n

    Wildlife damage management<\/strong> is founded in the traditions of hunting and trapping. A historical perspective dates back to the days when fur harvesting and the fur markets were dominant and bounty hunters killed wildlife to protect new settlements. Many state and federal regulations regarding the control of certain species are based on hunting and trapping regulations. Protected status, open seasons, legal capture methods, and disposition are all influenced by state hunting and trapping laws, and the conservation predictions of wildlife biologists.<\/p>\n

    Do not hesitate to contact state and federal wildlife officials if the damage situation is complex or if safety issues exist. If you have concerns about your ability to handle a wildlife problem with appropriate care and diligence, do not hesitate to work with other qualified WCOs.<\/p>\n

    Many states may require a trapping license to capture wildlife, professional certification and licensing for animal removal, transport, and disposition. The use of regulated toxicants almost always requires a separate pesticide applicator license. or some type of permit for trapping and removal.<\/p>\n

    A wildlife control operator<\/strong> (WCO<\/strong>) is an individual trained to solve problems from wildlife conflicts and nuisance wildlife situations, usually for profit. In some states, a WCO may be called an Animal Damage Control Agent (ADC), Animal Control Agent (ACA) or Wildlife Damage Control Agent (WDCA). Technically, a WCO is a specialist in vertebrate pest management with the ability to capture, transport and dispatch an animal, and repair and prevent the damage from occurring again. In this book we use the term WCO to include all technicians trained in WDM methods.<\/p>\n

    In today\u2019s urban environment, nuisance wildlife are abundant and wildlife damage management professionals are in demand. State hunting and trapping laws need to be supplemented with nuisance wildlife control laws. The training and skills required to hunt and trap are similar to some of the control methods for WDM such as knowledge of wildlife and its habitat. A different set of skills, however, is also needed to manage wildlife in urban and suburban settings such as building maintenance and public relations.<\/p>\n

    A wildlife control operator (WCO) is a professional trained to solve problems from wildlife damage and nuisance wildlife situations, usually for profit, and licensed or permitted by the government. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    The management of wildlife causing damage has ethical, economic, social, and biological dimensions. Concerns about animal welfare, property damage, safety, species diversity, and habitat destruction pose philosophical questions that must be answered professionally, fairly, and legally. Public awareness, appropriate legal oversight, and research by wildlife professionals are required to make sure that human-wildlife conflicts are managed properly.<\/p>\n

    People appreciate wildlife and often enjoy seeing animals around. You might ask \u201cwhat makes an animal a pest?\u201d Animals are protected by the public trust in many cases protected by additional laws, and even when they can be lethally removed, it should be done to resolve an unacceptable amount of damage or risk. It is important to recognize that any animal that may currently be a pest to one or more persons, may at the same time be either desirable, or of neutral value to someone else. There is no such thing as good animals and bad ones. Whether an animal is beneficial, neutral, or undesirable depends entirely upon one’s relationship with it.<\/p>\n

    Wildlife damage management (WDM) is the application of methods to resolve conflicts<\/strong> from vertebrate species that cause damage, create safety issues, or are considered a nuisance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    <\/a>Principle 1 – Wildlife are not Pests<\/h2>\n

    Animals are not considered pests,<\/strong> or nuisance animals, until they create a conflict with humans, their habitats and resources, and\/or values.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Principle 2 \u2013 When Animals become Pests<\/h2>\n

    Animals can be called pests<\/strong> when they cause:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Damage to food, crops, fiber, crops, buildings, vehicles, landscapes, and other natural resources;<\/li>\n
    2. Safety issues from wildlife attacks, threats to human health, vehicle and safety issues from diseases, collisions, and<\/li>\n
    3. Nuisance from noise, odors, excrement, and other unwanted behaviors.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Wildlife that have unwanted behaviors are deemed pests and can be controlled outside of typical hunting and trapping seasons, sometimes with special permits, by wildlife control operators following all local, state, and federal regulations.<\/p>\n

      <\/a>Principle 3 \u2013 Prevent Wildlife Damage<\/h2>\n

      The objective of wildlife damage management (IWDM) is to mitigate or prevent the conflicts caused by the animals, and not just the control or elimination of the wildlife itself.<\/p>\n

      <\/a>Principle 4 \u2013 Objectives of Control<\/h2>\n

      Objectives when applying WDM methods:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Reduce damage to a tolerable level;<\/li>\n
      2. Use methods that are low risk for people, non-target animals, and the environment;<\/li>\n
      3. Implement control and habitat modifications efficiently and economically;<\/li>\n
      4. Use humane and ethical methods when capturing and disposing of wildlife; and<\/li>\n
      5. Follow all local, state, and federal laws.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        <\/a>Reduce Damage to a Tolerable Level<\/h3>\n

        Integrated Pest Management (IPM<\/strong>) uses all appropriate pest control strategies to reduce pest populations to an acceptable level. WCOs perform integrated wildlife damage management<\/strong> (IWDM).<\/p>\n

        Set reasonable goals. Propose a solution that solves the problem. WCOs should avoid creating fear in clients, as this could lead to an overreaction to wildlife on their property. People should accept that there is a difference between a raccoon living in an attic and a raccoon walking through the backyard (Figure 1).<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

        Figure 1. Young raccoons on a deck. Are they a threat? Photo by Steve Stronk.<\/p>\n

        Be respectful and listen when clients explain their feelings about an animal. Do not reinforce inappropriate stereotypes or become drawn into a \u201cproblem\u201d that does not need to be solved. On the other hand, don\u2019t use your clients\u2019 fear of animals just to sell a job. Using the clients fear to sell a job is unethical.<\/p>\n

        The focus of IWDM is to reduce or eliminate damage, not just reduce the number of animals. Remind your clients that the goal is to solve a specific problem, not remove all the animals in the area. Target only the animals causing the conflict, and not all the animals themselves.<\/p>\n

        IWDM problem-solving framework<\/strong><\/p>\n