Six questions to consider

2. What are the likely ecological consequences of this action?

Think beyond your client's property. What effects might your actions have on local wildlife populations?

The most important tool for a NWCO is good judgment. A solution that works when you're dealing with 70 bats may not be appropriate if you're dealing with 7,000 bats.

Many of the wildlife species that most commonly cause conflicts with people are abundant, so capturing and killing an individual isn't going to threaten the species' survival. But what if you're asked to remove hundreds or thousands of animals?

This could happen with starlings, crows, Canada geese, or bats. Some conservationists would be happy if you killed European starlings because they're an exotic species that competes with our native wildlife. Crows and Canada geese are abundant in this area, so wildlife biologists aren't overly concerned about the effects of reducing the size of a flock on the larger population. Bats are a different story.

Bats

The two species of bats that are most likely to cause nuisances in the Northeast are the little brown bat and the big brown bat. In both, females gather in large colonies to raise their young—each has only one or two pups each year. This low breeding rate, and their colonial habit, makes them vulnerable.

Typically, you'll see a few hundred brown bats in a maternal colony but in a very successful site you might find as many as several thousand females and their pups. Although it hasn't been well-studied yet, doesn't it seem reasonable to assume that what you do in such a situation could affect the local population of bats? Obviously, the bats have been there for a long time. Can you convince your customer to choose the two-season solution instead of the quick-fix, which might cause long-term harm to the local bat populations?

Here's what a more relaxed approach would look like. In the first year, you install two or three bat boxes in the early summer. Let the bats raise their young in the building, and give them time to check out those newly-installed boxes. In late fall, you can begin limited bat-proofing, but don't close the main entry hole. In early May of the following year, install a check-valve over the main entrance. Once you are certain all the bats are out of the structure, you can finish permanent bat-proofing by sealing the primary entrance.

Bats in the house or barn may be a problem, but bats in the yard are often considered beneficial because they eat so many insects. By giving the bats a little more time to get used to the alternative roosts, you increase the chances they'll return to the area to use them. That cushions the drop in the local population.

Other Wildlife

Quite a few of the techniques mentioned in this manual could affect other wildlife. Any modification of the landscape, even something as simple as mowing, will be good for some species and bad for others. For this reason, when you're planning your strategy, imagine two zones around the building.

To solve the problem and prevent future occurrences, how far must wildlife be kept from the building? That's your inner zone, which you'll probably want to keep well-manicured. The size of this zone depends on which species you're concerned about. A one-foot gravel perimeter around the foundation may foil mice, but it's not going to make a bear hiccup. What about the areas beyond this zone? If you maintain proper defenses, you should be able to leave the outer zone wilder. You might even alter the landscape to encourage certain wildlife to use that area.

Best practices are all about common sense and good judgment. If it's easy for squirrels to get into your attic, why wouldn't they nest in this warm and secure place? If it's nearly impossible, does it matter if they're nesting in a tree fifty feet away?

As a NWCO, you have many tools to solve nuisance wildlife problems. Good judgment is the most important one. You can offer effective, long-term solutions—and help prevent wildlife conflicts from developing—without sterilizing the planet.

Extra care and thoughtfulness is needed with certain techniques, because of their greater potential to harm other species or the environment. This is especially true when using lethal tools such as body-gripping traps or pesticides. You could accidentally capture or injure someone's pet, or a protected species.

You don't want to catch any member of the wrong species, or individuals of the target species that aren't causing the conflict. Don't condemn an entire species because of the actions of a few individuals. Nuisance animals aren't malicious, they're simply taking advantage of an opportunity, adapting natural habits to an artificial environment in order to survive. If you catch the wrong individuals, you haven't solved the problem for your customer.

Sometimes, just moving an animal can cause problems. We'll talk about that technique, called choose"trap and transfer" or "translocation," in chapter five.

Handbook Contents

Introduction

• Understanding Nuisance Wildlife
• The Business Side

Needs of People and wildlife

• Six Questions NWCOs must ask

Federal Laws and Regulations

• New York State Wildlife Control Laws
• Local Regulations for Wildlife Control

Safety Risks for Customers

• Job Risks
• Safety Gear
• Carcass Disposal
• Wildlife Diseases

Best Practices for Wildlife Control

• Assess the Situation
• Choose Management Options
• Tools and Techniques
• Preventing Problems
• Evaluating Success

Professionalism Resources for NWCOs

Disclaimer

This manual was written as a guide to train nuisance wildlife control operators in New York State. Laws and regulations may differ in your state. Always consult local and state laws before implementing wildlife damage management activities.

Contact Information

Contact your local Extension Office

Resources

Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
National Wildlife Control Operator's Association
Wildlife Control

Acknowledgments

We thank the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for contributing this information.

Produced by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the NYS Integrated Pest Management Program.