Tag Archives: wild animal

Animals Affected by Floods

Rat (7)

 

Tropical Depression Bill left flooding in its wake throughout the central United States, endangering lives and property, but the floods affected wild animals as well.  Large reptiles such as alligator snapping turtles and alligators were flushed out of their normal habitats and residents have reported seeing them strolling across their lawns.  Other wild animals, like rodents, raccoons and skunks have had to seek out higher ground when their habitats are flooded, causing a few more run-ins with humans than normal.  And, the smaller wild animals are quickly followed by larger predators, like coyotes.  Officials from Oklahoma to Louisiana and Texas are reminding residents to avoid direct contact with wild animals that have been displaced by floods.  Do not feed these wild animals, because they will encourage the animals to remain in the vicinity of this new food source instead of returning to their natural habitat and their normal foods.  Wild animals who have been displaced do not understand when people are trying to help them, and will scratch and bite to protect themselves.  Do not handle any wild animal, do not feed them, and try to avoid roadways near flooded areas to reduce chances of disturbing or hitting wildlife seeking higher and drier ground.

Flood waters will carry snakes into residential or business areas.  Rats, mice or chipmunks will seek out dry attics or the walls inside homes or other structures.  Skunks, opossums or raccoons may be forced to leave their dens and they will seek out dry areas in crawlspaces or in garages.  In many areas, the local officials are busy responding to calls of alligator sightings, displaced deer herds, or bears that are affected by the floods, and cannot immediately respond to calls about raccoons or rats.  Allstate Animal Control has a network of licensed, experienced nuisance animal control technicians who can help you.  If you have wild animals that have been affected by the floods in your home, on your property, or around your family, pets or livestock, contact Allstate Animal Control at 1-888-488-7720 or allstateanimalcontrol.com to schedule a service call right away.

 

Utah’s Mild Winter and Wild Animals

Raccoon (2)The entire country has seen weird weather patterns so far in 2015.  Unusually mild and warm in some places, freezing temperatures and dramatic amounts of snow in other areas.  Mother nature is tricking wildlife, and we should be prepared for the impact.

In Utah, the weather has been so relatively warm and mild that daffodils and tulips have already started to bloom in early February.  Bears are already waking up from hibernation.  We’re not seeing as many bald eagles in Utah, likely because they didn’t need to migrate as far south this year.

Utah’s wild animals are much more active this time of year because of the mild winter and early food sources.  A bumper crop of nuts or berries and other food sources also means a “bumper crop” of wild animals in Utah, like mice, rats, squirrels, pigeons, sparrows, opossums and other birds.  More of the smaller wild animals will attract more predatory animals, like raccoons, skunks, coyotes and snakes.

Let’s not forget the impact of a low snow-pack level.  Not only has Utah been relatively warm, but it’s also been relatively dry.  Lower snow fall means Utah may face drought conditions this year.  In a drought, the natural food and water sources dry up, and shelter becomes more scarce.  We may see more wild animal-human conflicts in Utah as wild animals migrate into residential areas in search of easier food and water and shelter.

Whether Utahans are cheering or lamenting the unusual weather, the smart move is to prepare for unusual wild animal activity.  Allstate Animal Control can set up an inspection for homes, offices, warehouses, church buildings, schools, stables or other outbuildings.  An inspection will reveal if you already have a problem with a wild animal, if there are things around or on your property that will attract a wild animal, and what prevention methods are best for you.  If you already have a problem, Allstate Animal Control sends out technicians who remove dead animals, repairs animal damage, sanitizes the area in which wild animals have lived, trap animals, gets rid of wild animals, and installs exclusion materials to prevent wild animals from returning to your building.  Contact Allstate Animal Control today at 1-888-488-7720, or at allstateanimalcontrol.com.

Winter Storms and Wild Animal Problems

The winter storms that have pummeled the East coast have certainly disrupted life for all of us, from thousands of canceled flights, to having to shovel the driveway several times a day, to braving icy and snowy roads to get to work or school.  But, the harsh winter conditions have challenged some wildlife populations and made life easier for other wild animals. Long periods of deep snow mean death to the weak and sick among raccoons, skunks, opossums, deer, rabbits and birds, especially the weaker or sick animals. Food is more difficult to find, which provokes wild animals like raccoons, skunks, opossums, foxes and coyotes to wander through residential and commercial areas in search of easier food and water sources.  People are more likely to have run-ins with wild animals who seek out the warmth of spaces under homes and other buildings.  Raccoons, squirrels, pigeons and rodents get into warm attics or walls and hunker down from the cold.  Ground-dwelling animals, like voles, gophers, groundhogs or moles, enjoy deep snow since it insulates their burrows and protects them from being spotted by predatory animals like coyotes, skunks, raccoons or owls.  Deep snow right now might result in higher rodent populations, more vole problems in the spring, which will in turn attract their predators once the snows have melted.  So, between shoveling the driveway and de-icing your car, you might want to be proactive in taking care of the wild animal problem you might not even know you have until they start to damage your home, car or yard.  Contact Allstate Animal Control at 1-888-488-7720 or visit our home page at allstateanimalcontrol.com to schedule an appointment with a wild animal specialist.  Wildlife Trappers will visit your home or business; inspect your building for signs of wild animals, wild animal damage, or weaknesses in the structure that allow animals to enter your building.  They will remove wild animals and install materials to prevent them from getting into your walls, attic or crawlspace.  They can even remove the dead animals that have died under your home or outbuilding, or in the attic, or walls, chimney, basement or crawlspace.  They will clean and sanitize the area and make it safe for your family.  Violent winter storms are difficult enough to endure, you don’t want to deal with a wild animal problem on top of everything else.