Wildlife Services

KNOWING YOUR WILDLIFE

We’ve compiled a few common species here in Indiana along with helpful tips about keeping wildlife safe. We are surrounded by wildlife in and around our communities. Please be aware of how some of our behaviors deter or encourage wildlife onto our properties.

WILDLIFE AND YOUR PETS

Humane Indiana cares deeply about wildlife but we also care about your pets. Here are some tips to keep your pets safe from harm:

  • If you’re feeding stray pets, please do not leave food out overnight. The smell of pet food attracts wildlife which promotes disease transmission amongst wildlife and potentially to domestic pets.
  • Provide a safe outdoor enclosure for pets or keep them as inside pets.
  • Make sure your pets are up-to-date on their vaccines.
  • All pets should be leash walked.
  • Understand that most fences do not keep out wildlife.
  • Pet birds should always be contained when outside to prevent escape or injury from native wildlife.

HOW TO GARDEN WITH WILDLIFE

We are surrounded by wildlife in and around our communities. For wildlife safety and ours, please be aware of how we affect behaviors that deter wildlife from our backyards or habits that encourage them onto our properties. Here a a few tips to consider when planning your outdoor spaces:

  • Understand that bird feeders and bird baths will attract wildlife.
  • Fruit trees and gardens will attract wildlife.
  • Dense ground cover offers shelter to wildlife. Clear shrubbery and ground cover to discourage wildlife. Open space exposes wildlife to predators and most wildlife choose to remain near areas where they can hide. Always make sure to check shrubbery, trees, and ground cover for wildlife first before removing, cutting, or clearing.
  • Containers that hold water should be turned upside down to limit water sources and remove breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
  • Avoid use of poisonous chemicals for outside weed and pest control. This is a safety precaution for wildlife, your children, and pets since they also play in the grass and around plants.
  • Know the dangers of rodenticides to wildlife.

KEEPING WILDLIFE WILD

It’s important to understand that human behavior and actions always affect wildlife. Oftentimes, while we mean well, our actions can have detrimental effects on animals. Below is a list of reasons why it’s important we continue keeping wildlife wild:

  • Relocated species disrupt the balance of other species in that habitat. If you remove a predator, its prey will flourish.
  • Relocated wildlife have a decreased chance of survival. Only an estimated 30% survive relocation.
  • Relocating wildlife may promote disease transmission from one habitat to another.
  • Peaceful coexistence and responsible environmental stewardship are proven and effective techniques for wildlife control.
  • Wildlife trapping is not the answer to wildlife control.
  • Trapping and removal of some animals causes the remaining members of that species to over breed in order to repopulate an area. This leads to increased wildlife populations. Males of that species from neighboring areas will aggressively compete to take over the vacancy created.
  • Trapping by tranquilization is typically reserved for confined animals or, in special cases, an animal deemed dangerous. There is also the potential of humans accidentally eating contaminated meat.

PROTECTING OUR WILDLIFE

Wildlife !

Wildlife live here too and we respect their habitat and behaviors.