6.3 Conservation Opportunities and Incentives
Nuisance wildlife problems can occur when wildlife is attracted to human dwellings for food or shelter, when wildlife populations are enhanced by the presence of humans, and when wildlife is displaced by human development. Wildlife species that can be compatible with human development include some bats, foxes, Raccoons, Opossums, squirrels, deer, pigeons, European Starlings, House Sparrows, Canada Geese, and Chimney Swifts, among others. Many wildlife damage problems can be addressed by changing the perceptions and expectations of homeowners with regards to living with wildlife. Many human-wildlife conficts can be addressed by changing the perceptions and expec- tations of homeowners who live with wildlife. Tough most nuisance wildlife issues may not relate directly to a conservation concern (e.g., a listed species or an endangered habi- tat), our eforts to solve nuisance wildlife problems are critical to improving the perception of urban wildlife issues in general. Te Commission has developed nuisance wildlife rec- ommendations and guidelines on some issues (e.g., resident Canada Geese, Black Bear). Nuisance guidelines developed by the US Department of Agriculture (Hygnstrom et al. 1994) are another key source of information used by Commission outreach specialists for wildlife damage-related inquiries. Certifed damage control agent programs should be supported and periodic reevaluation of the methods used for the removal of sensitive or tracked species (such as bats and some snakes) may be necessary to ensure the most appropriate handling of these sensitive species. Wild animals can be reservoirs or hosts for diseases that can be transmitted to humans and domestic animals, such as rabies, distemper, tuberculosis, and leprosy. When there is contact between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, there will be more risk for trans- mission of some zoonotic diseases (Bosch et al . 2013; Sharma et al. 2013; Schrenzel 2012; Calver et al. 2011; Loughry et al. 2009; Infectious Disease News 2008) . Outdoor pets are at increased risk of contracting diseases from infected wildlife. Public service announcements, wildlife and hunter educa- tion programs, and coordination with local public health agencies are important avenues for sharing information about safety practices and local pet vaccination programs. Te NCWRC, NCSU Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Wildlife Services, and county and local wildlife control ofcers all play a role in responding to wildlife damage prob- lems (e.g., crop depredation, fooding). Continued coordination and improved sharing of resources among these entities will make response eforts more efective. 6.3.3.4 Strategies and Recommendations Tere are many conservation, management, education, outreach, and recreation programs. Substantial progress has been made towards meeting many of the program priorities iden- tifed in the 2005 Plan (e.g., the Commission now has wildlife education and nature centers
780
2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online