Feeding Wildlife

Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

Issues with feeding wildlife

• Damage• Disease Transmission• Habituation• Public Safety Threats• Increased Wildlife Mortality

Damage

• Property damage– Home/garage/outbuilding/vehicle entries

• Agricultural depredations– Livestock– Rabbits and chickens– Bee Hives– Crop Damage

• Pet depredations

12

3

45

• Rabies• Mange• Canine Distemper• Toxoplasmosis• Raccoon Roundworm

Disease Transmission

• Occurs when:– Acclimated to human presence– Lack of threats– Unnatural food sources– Behavior rewarded

Habituation

Public Safety

• Habituated individuals• Aggressive behaviors• Home entries

Increased Wildlife Mortality

• Lethal removal of public safety threats• Lethal removal due to property damage• Death from disease (increased transmission at

feeding areas)• Roadkill mortality– Crossing major roads to access human food sources– Dispersal of young into other residential areas in

search of human food sources

Intentional /Direct Feeding

-Bird feeders, squirrel feeders, food piles for bears, feeding animals

by hand

INTENTIONALDirect

-Bird feeders, squirrel feeders, food piles for

bears, feeding animals by hand

Indirect-Garbage, pet food,

compost, picnic tables, BBQ’s

Unintentional / Indirect Feeding

-Garbage, pet food, compost, picnic tables, BBQ’s

• Direct Feeding• Bird Feeders• Intentionally

attracting bears

Leads to Indirect

• Lack of threats• Visiting Neighbors• Compost• Garbage

Behavioral Changes • Habituation

• Home invasions

Increased Chance of Mortality

Bears as an example

• Northampton has many areas of excellent natural bear habitat

• Allowing bears access to human-food sources dramatically increases human-bear conflicts– Environmental Police respond to more bear calls

in Northampton than any other town

#298 2010-2011#309; 2010#323; 2010-2011#269; 2009#280; 2009

Bear 298 and 323

Feeding Sites

Bear 323 – Feeding site

Incidents related to feeding in Northampton

• Increased use of residential areas by bears• Damage to bird feeders/garbage cans

reported across town• Damage to chicken coops and rabbit hutches• Attacks on pygmy goats and pigs• Home and shed break-ins• Bear eating food meant for feral cats led to

denning next to I-91 and office park

Preventing Wildlife Conflicts

• You MUST address all types of feeding– Indirect• Garbage, dumpsters, pet food, compost, etc.

– Direct• Bird feeders, hand feeding wildlife, etc.

• Everyone MUST participate• Enforcement will be necessary• Will take time

Questions?

Stone Wall Drive, Today: 11am