Have a great day...
Jeff
Monday, December 03, 2007
Mobile blogging
Well, I am trying out a mobile blogging software app. So I can keep the blog more up to date. I hope this will get things started....
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Ever Thought About a Career in Wildlife Management?
There are an incalculable amount of careers available to people in the United States. Some people find their careers in business, selling to customers and working in an office. Others enjoy the arts and entertainment, making their living as singers or actors. There are yet others who use their genius in science to be doctors, making breakthroughs and saving lives. One career that doesn’t often occur to people, however, is a career in wildlife management.
Often, people do not even realize that companies like ours exist. They have a knack for animals and knowledge of the environment, and when they see our ad, they are amazed at the opportunity! Wildlife management professionals are an important part of protecting the environment and animal populations. The ecosystem can be thrown off by just one problem! If there are too many bobcats around, their local prey could become endangered or extinct in that specific area. It has a snowball effect—one change in the environment or animal population causes a sequence of damaging effects. For instance, if there are too many feral hogs without a natural environment to live in, they begin rooting people’s lawns and pastures and ruining crops and gardens.
The wildlife management professional’s job is to keep these different things in balance. By humanely trapping, he or she can remove and relocate the animal to a safer, more suitable habitat. It requires an extensive knowledge of many different animals, as well as an understanding of what each animal needs to survive, and how they live. If this is something you think you have a natural talent for, we encourage you to pursue it!
Often, people do not even realize that companies like ours exist. They have a knack for animals and knowledge of the environment, and when they see our ad, they are amazed at the opportunity! Wildlife management professionals are an important part of protecting the environment and animal populations. The ecosystem can be thrown off by just one problem! If there are too many bobcats around, their local prey could become endangered or extinct in that specific area. It has a snowball effect—one change in the environment or animal population causes a sequence of damaging effects. For instance, if there are too many feral hogs without a natural environment to live in, they begin rooting people’s lawns and pastures and ruining crops and gardens.
The wildlife management professional’s job is to keep these different things in balance. By humanely trapping, he or she can remove and relocate the animal to a safer, more suitable habitat. It requires an extensive knowledge of many different animals, as well as an understanding of what each animal needs to survive, and how they live. If this is something you think you have a natural talent for, we encourage you to pursue it!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Raccoons
People do not normally spend much time thinking about their garbage. They put it out on the sidewalk, sometimes the night before, and think nothing of it again. That is, until they wake up the next morning to see garbage all over their lawn and the street. The culprit? Almost always, a raccoon. This, along with being hand-fed by well-meaning humans, results in the raccoon wanting to move from their forest homes in the trees closer to its food source—your house.
Raccoons normally find their way in through the attic, either through a hole or by chewing their way in. They are exceedingly dangerous to have in the house for various reasons. They are host to fleas, ticks, mites, and lice, which can easily jump to children or household pets. In addition, they are commonly infected by a roundworm parasite, the eggs of which are released in the raccoon’s feces. If anyone, especially a child or animal, touches the feces or anything soiled by it, they run a high risk of being infected with roundworm and becoming a host themselves.
Besides parasites and roundworm, raccoons are known to carry canine distemper, rabies, coccidiosis (an intestinal disease), upper respiratory diseases, and mange (skin disease caused by parasitic mites). While it may be tempting to try to get rid of the raccoon yourself, it is safer to hire a professional trapper with the equipment and expertise to remove and relocate the raccoon. In the case of Nuisance Wildlife Relocation, we will, in addition to removing the animal, work with your insurance company to completely restore and clean up your attic and any other damages caused to your home, leaving it as if the raccoon was never there.
Raccoons normally find their way in through the attic, either through a hole or by chewing their way in. They are exceedingly dangerous to have in the house for various reasons. They are host to fleas, ticks, mites, and lice, which can easily jump to children or household pets. In addition, they are commonly infected by a roundworm parasite, the eggs of which are released in the raccoon’s feces. If anyone, especially a child or animal, touches the feces or anything soiled by it, they run a high risk of being infected with roundworm and becoming a host themselves.
Besides parasites and roundworm, raccoons are known to carry canine distemper, rabies, coccidiosis (an intestinal disease), upper respiratory diseases, and mange (skin disease caused by parasitic mites). While it may be tempting to try to get rid of the raccoon yourself, it is safer to hire a professional trapper with the equipment and expertise to remove and relocate the raccoon. In the case of Nuisance Wildlife Relocation, we will, in addition to removing the animal, work with your insurance company to completely restore and clean up your attic and any other damages caused to your home, leaving it as if the raccoon was never there.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Bat Season Approaches
Florida is home to at least thirteen residential species of bats. They are an amazing animal—the only mammals who can fly! Their wings are very similar to a human hand, with joints that can close and grip. They sleep upside down by wrapping their talons around a branch or other surface. They exert little to no effort doing this, because gravity keeps their talons closed.
They have many useful qualities that humans may overlook. A nocturnal animal, bats will eat hundreds of insects in one night. If bats are living on your property they could greatly reduce the amount of mosquitoes and other bothersome insects. The way that they find insects and other sources of food is quite unique. They use an intriguing navigational system called echolocation. When they make a noise, the sound wave goes out and bounces back from the first object it comes across. The direction of the returning sound wave indicates where an object (such as an insect) is and how big it is.
Another useful aspect of bats is their feces (called guano). Guano has an abundant amount of nitrogen, making it a wonderful fertilizer. Certain enzymes can be extracted from bat guano and used in laundry detergent and other cleaning products.
Bats contribute greatly to the environment, and it is important for them to have a place to live. They normally live in trees or caves, but sometimes they become comfortable under the eaves of a persons house, or even inside the house. It is dangerous for bats to live inside the house for a couple of important reasons.
The first reason is that bats can carry rabies. Though uncommon, it is a possibility, and if a rabid bat were to become frightened and bite someone, the person could contract rabies. A rabid bat is usually indicated by heightened aggression and daytime activity. If a bat is easily approachable, that is also an indicator of rabies. Bats should not be handled.
The second reason is that if bat guano collects in the house, a person could contract Histoplasmosis. Inhaling the spores of this fungus can cause serious respiratory problems that could be fatal. The best and most humane way to rid bats from your home and put them back into the wild is by exclusion. Nuisance Wildlife Relocation will do a thorough search of the home for any holes or openings where a bat could get through. A one-way bat door will be placed at every opening so that the bat can get out, but not back in. When dusk hits, the bats will fly outside to hunt, and be unable to return. Once all of the bats have left the structure, all openings will be permanently sealed to prevent any further entry.
This method is completely humane and no bats are ever harmed during this process. This company prides itself on treating animals with the respect they deserve. If a bat is found inside, Nuisance Wildlife Relocation is available to solve the problem.
They have many useful qualities that humans may overlook. A nocturnal animal, bats will eat hundreds of insects in one night. If bats are living on your property they could greatly reduce the amount of mosquitoes and other bothersome insects. The way that they find insects and other sources of food is quite unique. They use an intriguing navigational system called echolocation. When they make a noise, the sound wave goes out and bounces back from the first object it comes across. The direction of the returning sound wave indicates where an object (such as an insect) is and how big it is.
Another useful aspect of bats is their feces (called guano). Guano has an abundant amount of nitrogen, making it a wonderful fertilizer. Certain enzymes can be extracted from bat guano and used in laundry detergent and other cleaning products.
Bats contribute greatly to the environment, and it is important for them to have a place to live. They normally live in trees or caves, but sometimes they become comfortable under the eaves of a persons house, or even inside the house. It is dangerous for bats to live inside the house for a couple of important reasons.
The first reason is that bats can carry rabies. Though uncommon, it is a possibility, and if a rabid bat were to become frightened and bite someone, the person could contract rabies. A rabid bat is usually indicated by heightened aggression and daytime activity. If a bat is easily approachable, that is also an indicator of rabies. Bats should not be handled.
The second reason is that if bat guano collects in the house, a person could contract Histoplasmosis. Inhaling the spores of this fungus can cause serious respiratory problems that could be fatal. The best and most humane way to rid bats from your home and put them back into the wild is by exclusion. Nuisance Wildlife Relocation will do a thorough search of the home for any holes or openings where a bat could get through. A one-way bat door will be placed at every opening so that the bat can get out, but not back in. When dusk hits, the bats will fly outside to hunt, and be unable to return. Once all of the bats have left the structure, all openings will be permanently sealed to prevent any further entry.
This method is completely humane and no bats are ever harmed during this process. This company prides itself on treating animals with the respect they deserve. If a bat is found inside, Nuisance Wildlife Relocation is available to solve the problem.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Feral Hogs
When Ponce de Leon arrived in Florida from Spain in 1513, he became famous for many things. He led the first voyage to Florida, and he was known for founding the legend of the Fountain of Youth. In addition to these, theories say that Florida’s feral hogs are descendants of the swine aboard Ponce de Leon’s ships.
Now, over four centuries later, the descendants of those swine are one of the most prevalent creatures living in the wild here in Florida. A large boar hog can weigh over 250 pounds, though most hogs weigh in around 150 pounds. A boar is identified by two long tusks in his lower jaw. The sows (females) do not have the same long tusks. If hunted, the sow is often used for meat.Florida’s population of feral hogs is second only to the state of Texas. Last year over 500,000 hogs roamed the wild in Florida. They live in a variety of habitats from everglades to hills. Employees here at nuisance wildlife have even seen them rooting the grasses on the medians in Lakewood Ranch. There are numerous problems associated with the vast population of feral hogs. They are a nuisance to farm owners, rooting pastures, sod, and crops for food.
In addition, they carry over forty-five different diseases. Thirty-seven of these are parasites, seven are bacteria, and one is a virus. Eight of the parasites can infect humans, along with all four species of ticks that may live on a hog.
One uncommon but nonetheless important danger to consider concerning the population of hogs is the possibility of vehicle accidents. As previously stated, feral hogs have been seen in the medians of streets. According to the Herald Tribune, a man was killed in 2006 when a hog darted in front of his motorcycle and the man spun out of control. It is likely that this is not the first and will not be the last incident concerning feral hogs out of their natural habitats.
Nuisance Wildlife Relocation will relocate these hogs using a live box trap made of strong metal. Nuisance Wildlife Relocation uses traps made by local business R & N Welding. The dangers of feral hogs on commercial and residential properties are vast, and Nuisance Wildlife Relocation is trained and prepared to help.
Now, over four centuries later, the descendants of those swine are one of the most prevalent creatures living in the wild here in Florida. A large boar hog can weigh over 250 pounds, though most hogs weigh in around 150 pounds. A boar is identified by two long tusks in his lower jaw. The sows (females) do not have the same long tusks. If hunted, the sow is often used for meat.Florida’s population of feral hogs is second only to the state of Texas. Last year over 500,000 hogs roamed the wild in Florida. They live in a variety of habitats from everglades to hills. Employees here at nuisance wildlife have even seen them rooting the grasses on the medians in Lakewood Ranch. There are numerous problems associated with the vast population of feral hogs. They are a nuisance to farm owners, rooting pastures, sod, and crops for food.
In addition, they carry over forty-five different diseases. Thirty-seven of these are parasites, seven are bacteria, and one is a virus. Eight of the parasites can infect humans, along with all four species of ticks that may live on a hog.
One uncommon but nonetheless important danger to consider concerning the population of hogs is the possibility of vehicle accidents. As previously stated, feral hogs have been seen in the medians of streets. According to the Herald Tribune, a man was killed in 2006 when a hog darted in front of his motorcycle and the man spun out of control. It is likely that this is not the first and will not be the last incident concerning feral hogs out of their natural habitats.
Nuisance Wildlife Relocation will relocate these hogs using a live box trap made of strong metal. Nuisance Wildlife Relocation uses traps made by local business R & N Welding. The dangers of feral hogs on commercial and residential properties are vast, and Nuisance Wildlife Relocation is trained and prepared to help.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Roof Rats
Have you ever heard scurrying in your walls? Ever gone up to the attic in December to find a nest of rats living in your wrapping paper box? How about opening up your pantry to find droppings, or finding the fruit on your tree hollowed out?
You are not alone. Many people have had this problem, specifically with Roof Rats. They are the most common and disease-ridden pests in the state of Florida. Their long, scaly, black tails and their sleek body identify them.
They usually only come out at night, at the time of year when fruit begins to ripen. Along with fruit, Roof Rats consume anything from dog food to your own pantry items, and can chew their way into your house through soffits, hollow walls, insulation, wires, pipes, and any holes that may exist.
Along with destroying your home, Roof Rats are host to a plethora of diseases. If a rat bites a person, they could contract Rat Bite Fever, which shows symptoms of the flu, and could be fatal. Hantavirus is contracted by stirring up the urine and droppings of a rat, resulting in fever, body aches, chills, and stomach problems. If the urine enters a minor cut, a person could contract Weil’s Disease, resulting in fever and kidney failure. Rats are also known to carry lime disease, which is contracted by tick bites, causing skin lesions, fever, and headaches.
Roof Rats can produce a litter once or twice a month, with about eight to nine pups each time. Roof Rats are abundant and the problems associated with them are serious, and that is why Nuisance Wildlife Relocation is here to help you.
The method of rodenticide is not usually the safest way to deal with this problem, considering the danger of rats dying in the walls. At Nuisance Wildlife Relocation, we first provide an exclusion inspection. We will completely inspect the interior and exterior of the structure, followed by a full estimate with an explanation of the conditions of the problem. All openings will then be sealed to prevent any further rodent infestations. Traps are set, and the rodents are removed leaving you with a rat-free, disease-free, and odor-free home.
You are not alone. Many people have had this problem, specifically with Roof Rats. They are the most common and disease-ridden pests in the state of Florida. Their long, scaly, black tails and their sleek body identify them.
They usually only come out at night, at the time of year when fruit begins to ripen. Along with fruit, Roof Rats consume anything from dog food to your own pantry items, and can chew their way into your house through soffits, hollow walls, insulation, wires, pipes, and any holes that may exist.
Along with destroying your home, Roof Rats are host to a plethora of diseases. If a rat bites a person, they could contract Rat Bite Fever, which shows symptoms of the flu, and could be fatal. Hantavirus is contracted by stirring up the urine and droppings of a rat, resulting in fever, body aches, chills, and stomach problems. If the urine enters a minor cut, a person could contract Weil’s Disease, resulting in fever and kidney failure. Rats are also known to carry lime disease, which is contracted by tick bites, causing skin lesions, fever, and headaches.
Roof Rats can produce a litter once or twice a month, with about eight to nine pups each time. Roof Rats are abundant and the problems associated with them are serious, and that is why Nuisance Wildlife Relocation is here to help you.
The method of rodenticide is not usually the safest way to deal with this problem, considering the danger of rats dying in the walls. At Nuisance Wildlife Relocation, we first provide an exclusion inspection. We will completely inspect the interior and exterior of the structure, followed by a full estimate with an explanation of the conditions of the problem. All openings will then be sealed to prevent any further rodent infestations. Traps are set, and the rodents are removed leaving you with a rat-free, disease-free, and odor-free home.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Exciting News
Wow I am so excited today we will have our first issure of our company newsletter going out electronicly. We have been having the newsletter printed and mailed out but know it will arrive in the in-boxes of peoples email. We will continue with hard copies to give to customers and people that request them. This is just one more way that Nuisance Wildlife Relocation Inc. is moving forward with new techoniges and a greener approuch to our enviroment.
Please check out our new Bat Control and Attic Restoration websites.
Until next time. Have fun and recpect the wildlife.
Please check out our new Bat Control and Attic Restoration websites.
Until next time. Have fun and recpect the wildlife.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Well Here We Go
Well as expected The Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services are trying to push regulations onto the Nuisance wildlife industry. They want only to see pest control companies removing vermin from buildings and lawns. All though Myself and every other wildlife management professional believe that the Florida Wildlife Commission has jurisdiction on this matter and have always had it because it is provided for in the Florida Constitution as FWC are the stewards of wildlife in Florida.
I will keep everyone posted as to what is happening.
Until next time have a great day and respect Florida's wildlife
I will keep everyone posted as to what is happening.
Until next time have a great day and respect Florida's wildlife
Saturday, May 26, 2007
African Killer Bees Swarm Florida...
African Killer Bees Swarm Florida..
Well if that doesn't get your attention what would. What I am trying to say is now the State of Florida Is considering any feral bee colonies south of I-4 to be some what Africanized. This means a lot of different things. It means that it could affect our Europen Honeybees that are used to pollinate all the orange groves might be in competition with the Africanized bees. See here are the questions that people ask me all the time.
- How can you tell if a colony is Africanized? Well there is really no way to tell with the naked eye. It is usually based on behavior and aggression while in the field.
- Why are Africanized Honey Bees (AHB) called Killer bees? The AHB venom is no different than the European Honey Bee (EHB) it that when the alarm pheromone goes off in a colony the AHB sends 2/3 of its colony to protect the hive as the EHB only sends about 1/3 and the AHB is extremely more aggressive.
- Do the bees have to be killed? Yes the State of Florida recommends that all feral bee colonies be exterminated South of I-4 in Florida.
- Why don't we learn to live with the AHB? AHB colonies are very poor pollinators and are also very poor honey makers and there aggression is yet another point.
- Can't I just kill them with wasp spray? No that is highly not recommended. You will not stand a chance without proper safety equipment and methods.
Recently Nuisance Wildlife Relocation Inc. owners Jeff and Christy Norris along with Technician Cory Young completed a course on the AHB put on by DR.William Kern from the University of Florida. Certifying them in AHB Management.
If you have any questions please call Nuisance Wildlife Relocation Inc. at 1-866-263-WILD(9453) or stop by our website at http://www.floridawildlifetrapper.com/
Until Next time....
Jeff Norris
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Hurricane Charlie still affecting Gulf Coast
Hurricane Charlie still affecting Gulf Coast
Since Hurricane Charlie made land fall on August 13, 2004 we are still feeling the effects, I am not talking about the rebuilding or the financial impact, I am talking about the environmental impact. I remember hearing the news that Charlie was going to make land fall in Port Charlotte, FL, which is in our service areas. I talked with my wife, Christy, and we discussed that the area was going to be so busy with wildlife invasions because of all the damage and wildlife displacement. Boy was I wrong, Wildlife invasions were the last thing on peoples minds. Houses were damaged so badly that even if we were able to retrieve the animals they would just find another place to get in. Once the major renovations began most of the animals and wildlife left on there own due to all of the noise and commotion from rebuilding. 
So, this brings us to our current problem. Everyone was focused on structural damage and no one thought about the environmental impact that Charlie would bring. Not only were residential and commercial homes destroyed but also all the homes of wildlife were taken. Many animals did not find there way to safety, thus destroying the population for many species. For instance, from all the tree’s that were destroyed we lost an enormous amount of Squirrels nests. It was odd that over the next couple of years we did not receive very many squirrel jobs. Then come the fall of 2006, talk about squirrels, they came back with a vengeance, I haven’t seen so many in all my life. My company was handling more jobs from these little rodents in two days then we have had, the entire year before. We were literally going “nuts” with these calls, and they haven’t stopped. The reason that we started receiving so many calls is due to the fact that the squirrels were entering commercial and residential properties via the attic and nesting. We can replace structural damage, but only Mother Nature can grow the trees, thus leaving them no other options than to invade commercial and residential dwellings.
The problem lies is that a squirrel is one of the most destructive specie of wildlife in Florida. People ask why, it is because they are from the rodent family and need to chew to survive. Their incisors continually grow and need to be filed down. It is not like a squirrel can walk into a vet’s office and say I need a trim. So they chew on other things like the wood on your house, the wires in your attic and anything else they can get to. I have seen houses that had so much damage on fascia board that I wondered if the wind blew inside or if they had leaks. I have seen wires so chewed that I told the people that they needed an electrician to fix them before re-entering the building.
To give you a for instance, New Years day, I believe in 2003 when I received a call from a man in Sun City Center. When I got there they told me that a squirrel had chewed the pipes in the attic and they had had a Plummer repair the leak. So I set some traps and I got a call at 7:00 am that I needed to get up there and there was a problem. I could not believe my eyes this squirrel had chewed another hole six inches from the previous hole and it had flooded the condo. Not just flooded but the ceiling had fallen in a bedroom and all the furniture was ruined. But they were happy that the little critter was in the trap.
So with all the storms that this area has had in the past few years the squirrel populations is back with a vengeance. It is funny to think how Mother Nature adapts and changes things so species survive and strive in this so delicate environment in which we live.
Jeff Norris, President of Nuisance Wildlife Relocation and can be
Reached at 941-729-2103 or jeff@flnwr.com
So, this brings us to our current problem. Everyone was focused on structural damage and no one thought about the environmental impact that Charlie would bring. Not only were residential and commercial homes destroyed but also all the homes of wildlife were taken. Many animals did not find there way to safety, thus destroying the population for many species. For instance, from all the tree’s that were destroyed we lost an enormous amount of Squirrels nests. It was odd that over the next couple of years we did not receive very many squirrel jobs. Then come the fall of 2006, talk about squirrels, they came back with a vengeance, I haven’t seen so many in all my life. My company was handling more jobs from these little rodents in two days then we have had, the entire year before. We were literally going “nuts” with these calls, and they haven’t stopped. The reason that we started receiving so many calls is due to the fact that the squirrels were entering commercial and residential properties via the attic and nesting. We can replace structural damage, but only Mother Nature can grow the trees, thus leaving them no other options than to invade commercial and residential dwellings.
The problem lies is that a squirrel is one of the most destructive specie of wildlife in Florida. People ask why, it is because they are from the rodent family and need to chew to survive. Their incisors continually grow and need to be filed down. It is not like a squirrel can walk into a vet’s office and say I need a trim. So they chew on other things like the wood on your house, the wires in your attic and anything else they can get to. I have seen houses that had so much damage on fascia board that I wondered if the wind blew inside or if they had leaks. I have seen wires so chewed that I told the people that they needed an electrician to fix them before re-entering the building.
To give you a for instance, New Years day, I believe in 2003 when I received a call from a man in Sun City Center. When I got there they told me that a squirrel had chewed the pipes in the attic and they had had a Plummer repair the leak. So I set some traps and I got a call at 7:00 am that I needed to get up there and there was a problem. I could not believe my eyes this squirrel had chewed another hole six inches from the previous hole and it had flooded the condo. Not just flooded but the ceiling had fallen in a bedroom and all the furniture was ruined. But they were happy that the little critter was in the trap.
So with all the storms that this area has had in the past few years the squirrel populations is back with a vengeance. It is funny to think how Mother Nature adapts and changes things so species survive and strive in this so delicate environment in which we live.
Jeff Norris, President of Nuisance Wildlife Relocation and can be
Reached at 941-729-2103 or jeff@flnwr.com
Problematic pigs
Problematic pigs
Tuesday, January 30, 2007 Jennifer Anderson Baynews 9
There's a stiff penalty for pigs rooting up yards in Manatee County, serving time at the Manatee County Jail farm.
It's a life sentence for wild hogs after they were trapped and taken to jail after destroying yards in Manatee County neighborhoods.
Ridgewood resident Virginia Heatley said this isn't the first times the hogs have hit.
"It started here in the backyard closer to the house," Heatley said.
But there's good reason the hogs are on the move. Booming growth in north Manatee is forcing them out of their natural environment.
It's a problem Jeff Norris with Nuisance Wildlife Relocation deals with almost daily.
"I've seen acres upon acres torn up in certain areas," Norris said.
So Norris sets up corn-filled traps in hopes of catching the culprits who have no place to go but the pen.
"Well, Florida statute says we cannot release any non-indigenous species into the wild," Norris said.
So it's off to jail for the hogs and back to some serious yard work for residents like Heatley.
The pigs tore up yards in north Manatee County. "It's hard to put it back together again," Heatley said.
And a hard-knock life for the hogs.
It doesn't cost the jail anything to house the hogs. They're fed leftover food from the inmates along with grain, a byproduct of grits made at the farm. Once they're plump, you'll likely find them at a barbecue.
The Manatee County Jail farm has a meat processing plant run by inmates. Many times nuisance wildlife relocation will pay to have a few hogs processed. The meat then goes to needy families in the area.
There's a stiff penalty for pigs rooting up yards in Manatee County, serving time at the Manatee County Jail farm.
It's a life sentence for wild hogs after they were trapped and taken to jail after destroying yards in Manatee County neighborhoods.
Ridgewood resident Virginia Heatley said this isn't the first times the hogs have hit.
"It started here in the backyard closer to the house," Heatley said.
But there's good reason the hogs are on the move. Booming growth in north Manatee is forcing them out of their natural environment.
It's a problem Jeff Norris with Nuisance Wildlife Relocation deals with almost daily.
"I've seen acres upon acres torn up in certain areas," Norris said.
So Norris sets up corn-filled traps in hopes of catching the culprits who have no place to go but the pen.
"Well, Florida statute says we cannot release any non-indigenous species into the wild," Norris said.
So it's off to jail for the hogs and back to some serious yard work for residents like Heatley.
The pigs tore up yards in north Manatee County. "It's hard to put it back together again," Heatley said.
And a hard-knock life for the hogs.
It doesn't cost the jail anything to house the hogs. They're fed leftover food from the inmates along with grain, a byproduct of grits made at the farm. Once they're plump, you'll likely find them at a barbecue.
The Manatee County Jail farm has a meat processing plant run by inmates. Many times nuisance wildlife relocation will pay to have a few hogs processed. The meat then goes to needy families in the area.
Be careful of alligators this time of year
FWC: Be careful of alligators this time of year
Spring is when Florida’s alligators start getting active, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is urging Floridians and visitors to be cautious when having fun in and around water.
Alligators abound in all 67 counties and have shared marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes with people for centuries. But because more individuals are seeking waterfront property and water-related activities increase during the warm months, people should be alert when they are in areas where alligators could be present.
Closely supervise children when they are playing in or around water. State law prohibits contact with alligators, and it is against the law to feed them.
There are other precautionary measures people should take to reduce potential conflicts with alligators, and they are available in the “Living with Alligators” brochure at MyFWC.com/gators.
The FWC annually receives more than 18,000 alligator-related complaints. The agency removes more than 7,000 alligators each year when the reptiles present danger to people or property.
If you encounter an alligator that poses a threat to you, your pets or your property, and the alligator is more than 4 feet long, call the FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1-866-FWC-GATOR (392-4286). The telephone number is the primary contact for all alligator complaints and is available to customers 24 hours a day.
Alligators are an important part of Florida’s heritage and play a valuable role in the ecosystems where they live. Visit MyFWC.com/gators for more information on alligator behavior.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Wild hogs rooting up neighborhoods
Wild hogs rooting up neighborhoods
CARL MARIO NUDI
Herald Staff Writer
The numbers are telling as property owners wake up to find their lawns and landscape latticed with trenches up to 18 inches deep. In Ridgewood mobile home park, 19 wild pigs have been trapped and removed over the past three months, a wildlife trapper said Tuesday.
Neighbors are seeing continual damage to property.
"When we moved into our house, I noticed hoof prints," said Chuck Horan, who has lived on Ellenton-Gillette Road, just south of Moccasin Wallow Road, for a year. "Then, one day the acre out front looked like a bulldozer went through it."
Horan said the pigs not only tore up his front yard, they did a number on the backyard, too, destroying newly planted palm trees and three sprinkler heads.
He said the large developments being built throughout the area are partly to blame for proliferation of damage from wild pigs.
"Since they started that development up on Moccasin Wallow, they've been chasing them out," Horan said. "I'm even seeing grey fox and something that looked like a coyote."
Horan hired Jeff Norris, of Nuisance Wildlife Relocation, to trap the destructive pigs and move them farther out into the country.
"Over the last year I've probably done 200 percent more hog trapping jobs in just residential areas north of the Manatee River and in east county," said Norris, who also removes raccoons, opossums, bats and other wild animals.
"I removed 19 hogs (over a two to three-month period) from the Ridgewood mobile home park," he said.
Norris said the wild pigs, which are not native to Florida, destroy yards when they are rooting for grubs and young tender roots.
They can tear up a 6-foot square area in 15-20 minutes, he said.
Chad Allison, a nuisance wildlife biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission office in Lakeland, said it is not too surprising that wild pigs would be creating havoc for residents of new developments.
"Like all wildlife, especially when developments border wooded areas, you can see an increase in complaints in certain counties," Allison said.
Although residential areas are not the typical habitat for wild pigs, if the development is next to a wooded area they will wander through in search of food, he said.
"They prefer more cover," Allison said.
Horan said the hogs that are creating the problem for him are coming out of the wetlands he owns behind his house.
Even though Norris has trapped two wild pigs on Horan's property, the situation has not improved that much, he said.
"I saw a sow who looked like she was getting ready to have a litter," Horan said. "Now I see a lot of little hoof prints, so there's now eight more little pigs out there."
"Hogs are prolific breeders," said Allison, the FFWC biologist. "They reach sexual maturity at one year of age and have multiple births."
Hogs are not native to North America, he said. The Europeans brought them here more than 500 years ago.
Although not classified as a nuisance animal by the state, wild pigs can destroy the natural environment and habitat of other wildlife.
They also are hosts for diseases and promote unhealthy conditions, Allison said.
There are no state regulations about killing wild pigs, other than safety issues.
"I had the option of shooting them," said property owner Horan, "but I didn't want to take a chance of hitting a cow or someone in the mobile home park."
He said the feral pigs also are creating havoc with the Gillette Community Cemetery near his home since a fence has been removed.
"They've dug down 18 inches and disturbed some of the grave sites," Horan said.
CARL MARIO NUDI
Herald Staff Writer
The numbers are telling as property owners wake up to find their lawns and landscape latticed with trenches up to 18 inches deep. In Ridgewood mobile home park, 19 wild pigs have been trapped and removed over the past three months, a wildlife trapper said Tuesday.
Neighbors are seeing continual damage to property.
"When we moved into our house, I noticed hoof prints," said Chuck Horan, who has lived on Ellenton-Gillette Road, just south of Moccasin Wallow Road, for a year. "Then, one day the acre out front looked like a bulldozer went through it."
Horan said the pigs not only tore up his front yard, they did a number on the backyard, too, destroying newly planted palm trees and three sprinkler heads.
He said the large developments being built throughout the area are partly to blame for proliferation of damage from wild pigs.
"Since they started that development up on Moccasin Wallow, they've been chasing them out," Horan said. "I'm even seeing grey fox and something that looked like a coyote."
Horan hired Jeff Norris, of Nuisance Wildlife Relocation, to trap the destructive pigs and move them farther out into the country.
"Over the last year I've probably done 200 percent more hog trapping jobs in just residential areas north of the Manatee River and in east county," said Norris, who also removes raccoons, opossums, bats and other wild animals.
"I removed 19 hogs (over a two to three-month period) from the Ridgewood mobile home park," he said.
Norris said the wild pigs, which are not native to Florida, destroy yards when they are rooting for grubs and young tender roots.
They can tear up a 6-foot square area in 15-20 minutes, he said.
Chad Allison, a nuisance wildlife biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission office in Lakeland, said it is not too surprising that wild pigs would be creating havoc for residents of new developments.
"Like all wildlife, especially when developments border wooded areas, you can see an increase in complaints in certain counties," Allison said.
Although residential areas are not the typical habitat for wild pigs, if the development is next to a wooded area they will wander through in search of food, he said.
"They prefer more cover," Allison said.
Horan said the hogs that are creating the problem for him are coming out of the wetlands he owns behind his house.
Even though Norris has trapped two wild pigs on Horan's property, the situation has not improved that much, he said.
"I saw a sow who looked like she was getting ready to have a litter," Horan said. "Now I see a lot of little hoof prints, so there's now eight more little pigs out there."
"Hogs are prolific breeders," said Allison, the FFWC biologist. "They reach sexual maturity at one year of age and have multiple births."
Hogs are not native to North America, he said. The Europeans brought them here more than 500 years ago.
Although not classified as a nuisance animal by the state, wild pigs can destroy the natural environment and habitat of other wildlife.
They also are hosts for diseases and promote unhealthy conditions, Allison said.
There are no state regulations about killing wild pigs, other than safety issues.
"I had the option of shooting them," said property owner Horan, "but I didn't want to take a chance of hitting a cow or someone in the mobile home park."
He said the feral pigs also are creating havoc with the Gillette Community Cemetery near his home since a fence has been removed.
"They've dug down 18 inches and disturbed some of the grave sites," Horan said.
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