Whether you live in an urban, suburban, or rural setting, chances are you will have some type of encounter with wildlife, especially as we increasingly destroy and encroach on their habitat. Wildlife can become a so called "nuisance" if they enter your home or cause some other type of damage to your property. Some people consider wildlife a nuisance just by their mere presence.
Wildlife will naturally want to seek shelter to keep warm and out of the elements, and establish dens. Therefore, attics and crawl spaces are an attractive home for them. Removing animals from your home can be a difficult task and would be best accomplished by a professional. Many companies offer humane removal of wildlife and can advise you on how to prevent them from returning. Sometimes one-way exclusion doors are used. However, they should only be used during certain times of the year when the young are old enough to leave on their own. Once all of the animals are safely removed, you can block access to the places animals enter structures by capping chimneys and sealing holes. Close off potential den sites under decks, porches, steps and crawl spaces before wildlife establishes their dens. Use fencing to protect gardens and trees, and reduce hiding places such as rock and wood piles.
DON'T FEED THE WILDLIFE! Pet food, especially left out at night, will attract raccoons, opossums, and other species. Keep the area where you feed your pets clean and bring the food in at night. Use trash containers that have locking lids, or keep them in a secure place such as a garage or shed. Use squirrel-proof bird feeders that don't allow seed to fall on the ground.
Most importantly, we need to practice tolerance. Learn more about the animals that live in your area. Wildlife is a vital part of our North Carolina ecosystem and we can maintain a successful coexistence by using compassionate methods of controlling nuisance wildlife. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission provides guidance to property owners to assist them in how to prevent or resolve conflict with wildlife at the following website:
"A man is ethical only when life, as such, is sacred to him, that of plants and animals as that of his fellow men, and when he devotes himself helpfully to all life that is in need of help."
