|
The City of Pickering is
currently home to hundreds of species of wildlife. As our
community continues to grow we encroach on the natural territory
of many wild animals. Like many species, wildlife has learned to
adapt to the changing environment surrounding them. With that in
mind, it is no surprise that many animals are now found living
in our backyards, in and under our sheds, porches, garages
and/or back decks.
The Ministry of Natural Resources
(MNR) is responsible for addressing wildlife related issues
within the Province of Ontario. The MNR has very limited
resources and therefore typically only assigns priority to
emergency type situations.
In an extra effort to assist
Pickering residents, Pickering Animal Services has developed an
in-house strategy to address the various management practices
when dealing with human-wildlife conflicts in and around the
City.
The current strategy deals with
responses to the following;
- Nuisance wildlife concerns
-
Sick, injured or orphaned wildlife
-
Public Health and Rabies
Coyotes
Coyotes and other
wildlife have adapted well to City life and it is
quite normal to see Coyotes in and around Pickering.
Coyotes are generally shy animals that do not want a
confrontation. They are also opportunistic animals
who are drawn to places where they can find food
easily.
Animal Services wants
to remind residents to be cognisant of their
surroundings. If you encounter a coyote do not turn
your back to them or run away, rather remain calm
and back away slowly. If walking at dawn or dusk,
bring a whistle or personal device to frighten any
approaching animal. Always walk your pets on a leash
and keep your cats inside. The following fact sheets
have been provided to give residents further
knowledge on the biology and awareness of coyotes.
Black Bears
Black bears live throughout most of Ontario. They primarily
inhabit forested areas where they are best able to find food,
refuge and den sites. When natural food sources are poor, black
bears will travel long distances to seek out alternative sources
of food. It is possible that a bear could find its way to
Pickering.
The Ministry of Natural Resources is responsible for responding
to calls regarding bears. They have created the Bear Wise
Program which teaches people about black bears as well as things
they can do to keep bears away from urban and semi urban areas.
For further information please visit their website at
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Bearwise/index.html.
The following fact sheets have been provided by the Ministry:
Nuisance Wildlife
If you have a nuisance situation
involving a wild animal living in part of your home or on your
property, there are solutions that are safe and humane for the
animal, and are very effective for you, the homeowner.
Trapping and relocating nuisance
wildlife used to be considered the best option for resolving
these situations. We now know that there are many drawbacks to
this approach. These drawbacks include:
- The animal does not usually
survive the relocation. When introduced to a new and
unfamiliar area, a relocated animal has no idea where to
find food, water or shelter, and has to contend with other
wildlife defending the territory they already occupy.
- There is a high risk of
causing the orphaning of wild babies. The young of the
relocated animal are often left behind, and by the time the
babies are found, there is no way to re-unite them with
their mother who has been shipped by this time to a faraway
location.
- It encourages the spread of
diseases such as rabies. As a result, it is now illegal to
relocate adult wild animals more than 1 KM.
The following fact sheets have
been provided by the Ministry of Natural Resources and provide
information specific to individual wildlife species:
The
OSPCA Wildlife Rehabilitation
Centre can be reached
Toll Free at 1-888-ONT-SPCA (668.7722) ext. 386 and are open 7
days a week. The Ontario SPCA Wildlife Centre Hotline enables
them to respond to concerns regarding injured, sick and orphaned
wildlife. They also provide advice on humane solutions to
resolve conflicts between people and wildlife.
The following fact sheets have
been provided by the Ontario SPCA and may assist you with your
human-wildlife issue:
The following links will provide
you with information specific to individual wildlife species;
The
Canadian Association for
Humane Trapping (CAHT)
is a charitable, non-profit organization that constructively
works towards abolishing the suffering imposed on wild animals
by the devices or trapping systems that are used to capture
them. The following wildlife fact sheets have been provided by
them;
If these methods are not working
and you would like the assistance of a trained professional,
contact a wildlife removal company such as
AAA Gates Wildlife
Control for further assistance. With more than 20 years of experience,
AAA is a National wildlife removal company who deal in a humane
manner with urban wildlife encounters through education,
prevention and hands-on removal. AAA uses humane methods to
solve problems, always taking into consideration the possible
presence of baby wildlife before deciding on what course of
action to take.
- AAA Wildlife Control
416.750.9453
To assist you in choosing a
Wildlife Control Company we have provided you with a fact sheet
of what to look for in a reputable company.
Sick, Injured or Orphaned Wildlife
When most people find a sick,
injured, or orphaned wildlife, their first instinct is to try to
help them. In many instances the wild animal has a higher chance
of survival if left alone. If you feel that the animal may
require medical treatment, please contact a licensed wildlife
custodian for further assistance. The
OSPCA Wildlife
Rehabilitation Centre can be reached
Toll Free at 1-888-ONT-SPCA (668.7722) ext. 386 and are open 7
days a week.
Procyon Wildlife Veterinary and
Rehabilitation Services located in Tottenham, Ontario is
also another excellent resource. They can be reached at
905.936.3184. Procyon Wildlife Veterinary and Rehabilitation
Services is a registered charity dedicated to working with
communities in an effort to help wild animals in need of care.
The following fact sheets have
been provided by the Ontario SPCA and may assist you in
determining if a wild animal is in need of help;
Public Health and Rabies
Rabies is an infectious disease
that is caused by a virus distributed through various mammals,
including wild and domestic animals. The Rabies virus is spread
from one animal to another, or from an animal to a human,
through close contact with saliva of an infected animal i.e.
bites, scratches, licks on broken skin.
For information regarding how to report a dog bite to Animal
Services and/or the Durham Region Health Department, visit
Dog
Bites.
The following information on rabies has been provided by the
Ministry of Natural Resources;
|
