Is Your Yard Too “Wild”?

Whether it is a raccoon rumbling around in a garbage can or a coyote finishing off the pet food left on the back porch, many people have had some sort of human-wildlife conflict issue.  The most common reason wildlife comes near homes is easy access to “food,” according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.  Homeowners are encouraged to ensure that they are keeping foods away from wildlife for your safety, the protection of homes, and for wildlife.  Never feed wildlife.  Keep items such as grills and pet food off-limits. Clean and store grills when not in use, keep pet food indoors, and feed pets indoors.  Refill bird feeders infrequently and in small amounts.  Make trash cans inaccessible. Keep lids securely fastened or store trash cans in a secured location until the morning of trash pick-up.  Resources for resolving human-wildlife conflicts, including a list of professional nuisance trappers, fact sheets, wildlife rehabilitator information, tips on managing land for wildlife, and much more can be found at georgiawildlife.com/living-with-wildlife.