Date: 03/25/09
Contact: Kelly Clark
Phone: (775) 688-1555

DON’T MOVE WILDLIFE: HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS INCREASE WITH URBANIZATION

By C. Douglas Nielsen and Kelly Clark

It’s no secret that Nevada’s once sparse human population has exploded over the past 20 years as new residents arrived and settled into expanding residential home developments, many on the edge of such urban centers as Las Vegas and Reno. And with that growth came a new challenge for wildlife managers, managing human-wildlife conflicts.

Human-wildlife conflicts most often occur where human habitat overlaps with wildlife habitat. An example is the conflict that occurs between homeowners and black bears in communities along the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It’s here that some bears have adopted the practice of breaking into homes and raiding the refrigerator. Another example is that which occurs when a hungry coyote or bobcat makes a meal out of someone’s dog or cat on the outskirts of Las Vegas or when a rattlesnake seeks the cool shade of a covered porch.

“The situation may simply be one in which a person is concerned that rabbits are eating his prized roses. Regardless, the humans involved in these encounters expect us to rectify the situation, and that expectation often comes with a demand that the animal, or animals, be moved.” said Lt. David Pfiffner, game warden supervisor for the Nevada Department of Wildlife in Las Vegas.

Translocation of wild animals may seem like an easy answer to a growing problem, but NDOW Director Ken Mayer said moving animals from one place to another is more difficult than it seems. Doing so also involves a lot of risk for the animal and can spread disease.

To guide NDOW employees as they handle human-wildlife conflicts, Mayer recently approved an agency policy and procedure entitled Movement and Disposition of Terrestrial Wildlife: Mammals and Reptiles. The document not only directs agency actions in relation to human-wildlife conflicts but also the decision making process in relation to the movement of any wildlife species.

“Every time we make a decision to move an animal there is a risk involved. The animal may face aggression from resident animals at the release site, competition for limited resources like food and water, elevated stress levels, and susceptibility to diseases. There is also the chance that a translocated animal may introduce new diseases into the resident wildlife population,” Mayer said.

There also are legal ramifications the average person probably isn’t aware of. For instance, it is illegal to deliberately relocate raccoons, foxes, coyotes or skunks because they are recognized rabies vector species. Moving them could introduce rabies into animal populations at the release site, which in turn could transmit the disease to humans.

“Our goal as the state wildlife agency is to manage for the safety of entire populations of wildlife, not one individual animal. Consequently, if we decide to release an animal into the wild it must improve survival prospects of the existing wild population. Long-term wildlife conservation interests are best served by ensuring the survival of as many individuals as possible, not just the short-term status of a few individuals,” said Mayer.

And what about the people who have difficulty understanding this concept and are concerned about the one cottontail rabbit?

Mayer said, “We can help them understand by explaining the reality that relocations are often ineffective due to stress, competition from wildlife that already lives in the vicinity of the release site, and disease. In most cases human intervention satisfies our wishes to ensure the animal survives to live another day, but if we are genuinely concerned about ensuring the safety of an entire population translocation may be the worst thing we can do.”

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a Federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org