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R
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What Happens When You Build it
and They Do Come: Wildlife
Damage Management For Master
Gardeners in New Mexico
Master Gardeners
2015
Samuel T. Smallidge
Wildlife Specialist
Cooperative Extension Service
1
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
Introduction
Species
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Outline
Pocket gophers
Squirrels
Skunks
Rabbits
Snakes
Birds
Bats
http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_L
Classification of Vertebrate Pests
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Subphylum
Vertebrata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Rodentia
Aves
Reptilia
Carnivora
Chiroptera 20;
Passeriformes
Squamata
Bat
Birds
Snakes
Pocket
Gopher
Squirrels
Skunk
Family
Geomyidae
Sciuridae
Mephitidae 16 in SW
Numerous;
Icteridae
Corvidae
numerous
Genus
Geomus,
Thomomys
6 genera
in NM
3 genera in
NM
numerous
numerous
numerous
Wildlife Damage Management
Important tool in the tool bag
Appropriate use
Follow label
Check local, state, and federal laws/regulations.
Humane dispatch
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound cure.”
Multiple and integrated methods
2 FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGIES
HABITAT MANAGEMENT
POPULATION MANAGEMENT
Wildlife Damage Management
Steps to Consider:
(1)Define and identify problem;
• What is the damage? Quantify amount ($). Identify species.
Cost-benefit analysis
(2) Understand problem species;
• Nocturnal or diurnal? Carnivore or herbivore? Migratory?
(3) Evaluation of control method(s);
(4) Apply control method(s).
BIOLOGICAL YEAR
Integration
NO CONTROL
CONTROL
CONTROL
CONTROL
Habitat Mod.
Exclusion
Baiting
Fumigation
Harassment
Repellants
Trapping
Shooting
Pocket Gophers in NM
Yellow-faced pocket gopher
(Cratogeomys castanops)
Botta’s pocket gopher
Northern pocket gopher
Southern pocket gopher
(Thomomys bottae)
(Thomomys talpoides)
(Thomomys umbrinus)
Plains pocket gopher
Desert pocket gopher
Jones pocket gopher
(Geomus bursarius)
(Geomys arenarius)
(Geomys knoxjonesi)
Pocket Gophers
Illustrations and distributions courteous Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Gopher Burrow System
Burrow systems:1-2 main tunnels;4 to 18 in. below surface; lateral burrows
for foraging, defecating, nesting, food cache.
 Rate of mound building highly variable; 1 to 3/day, up to 70/month;
correlated with rainfall; quickly seal openings
 6-8/acre = high densities
Illustration courtesy of Nebraska Cooperative Extension

Gopher Trivia
Illustrations courtesy of the University of California Cooperative Extension
Potential Gopher Benefits




Increase soil fertility by adding organic matter
Soil cycling – 1 t/y
Increase soil aeration and decrease soil
compaction
Increase water infiltration
Gopher Damage
Consume roots of saplings (pos. girdle)
Tunnels divert water
Undermine irrigation infrastructure
Gnaw water lines
Damage equipment if burrows collapse
Health Issues & Gophers
No known to be a significant source of
any infectious disease transmittable to
humans or domestic animals
Gopher Habitat Modification
• remove weeds to create an unsuitable buffer strip
• mechanical or chemical modification
• adjacent to areas experiencing consistent damage
Planting 50-foot buffer strips of grain around hay fields to
discourage gopher immigration
Flooding In garden, try marigolds, narcissus, and daffodils
Gopher Exclusion

Expensive and has limited practicality

Fence valued ornamental shrubs or trees
•
1/4 or 1/2 inch hardware cloth buried at least 18-24
inches
(Drawings by Jenifer Rees.)
Gopher Toxicants
Anticoagulants
Acute
Diphacinone
Zinc phosphide
(RUP)
Chlorophacinone
(nRUP/RUP)
Multiple feedings
(RUP)
Strychnine
(nRUP/RUP)
Single feedings
Underground Baiting
Locate main runway
Find freshest mound
4-12 in. behind plug
15 to 18 inches from mound
Patience, skill, experience key
Follow label
Apply rec. amount of bait
April-May
Late September –
Early October
Fumigants
•
aluminum phosphide (RUP): effective
•
gas cartridges (nRUP): not effective
efficacy related to soil moisture.
Fumigants
Prohibited: residential properties, nursing homes, schools (except
athletic fields), day care facilities, and hospitals.
within 100 feet of a building that is or may be occupied by people
or domestic animals.
DANGER/PELIGRO
Image of skull and crossbones,
DO NOT ENTER/NO ENTRE,
FIELD NOT FOR USE
name and EPA registration number of the fumigant,
& a 24-hour emergency response number.
Signs may be removed 2 days after the final treatment.
Fumigant Management Plans required
Trapping Gophers

Effective on small infested areas or as
supplement control after baiting
A) Macabee
B) Victor
C) D-K 1
D) Guardian
Trapping Gophers
Set traps in main runway
Propane Exploder

Mixture of propane and
oxygen
•

Built-in, self contained
ignition system ignites
mixture creating
underground
shockwave or
concussion
Effective for prairie
dogs
Ground Squirrels





Rock squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus)
Thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus)
Spotted ground squirrel (Spermophilus spilosoma)
Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis)
Antelope ground squirrels (Ammospermophilus spp.)
Ground & Tree Squirrels &
Chipmunks
Illustrations courteous of Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Ground Squirrel Burrows

Inhabit subterranean burrows
Numerous entrances
 Leave open, never plugged with soil
 Excavated in soft soils with good drainage



Active during day (mid-morning; late afternoon)
Usually one litter per year; 7-8 in litter.
Photos by Philip Perry & E.D. Hosking
Ground Squirrel Diet
Primarily herbivorous; but changes w/ season
• Green vegetation after hibernation
• Seeds, grains, nuts, fruit (when grasses dry
up)
Occasionally insects, bird eggs, baby mice, carrion
Usually forage close to burrow (~75 yard radius)
Ground Squirrel Damage
Ag crops (fruits), home gardens, recreational areas,
and loss of irrigation water
Girdle trees, damage roots
Gnaw on plastic sprinkler heads, irrigation lines
Burrows divert irrigation water, increase erosion
Photos courtesy UCD Extension
Ground Squirrel Control

Control method influenced by life cycle and behavior.
Illustration courtesy UCD Cooperative Extension
Squirrel Control Methods
Exclusion
Fences: not practical
can dig beneath fences buried several ft deep
expensive
Sheet metal cylinders around tree trunks
Frightening
techniques not effective
Chemical & odor repellents generally not effective
Trapping Squirrels


Trapping can be effective in reducing low to
moderate squirrel populations over a small area
Try baiting with banana and/or peanut butter; walnuts,
almonds, slice of orange or melon.
Squirrel Fumigants
Gas cartridges (nRUP)
Alum. Phosphide (RUP)
Most effective following
squirrel emergence from
hibernation - before the
squirrels reproduce
Toxicants
Zinc phosphide: RUP
most economical for high populations
Non-target risk
Prebaiting recommended
Rodenticide-treated bait hand applied
Reference label for correct dosage and
proper application
Shooting/Hunting
Labor intensive, but potentially effective
Shot over squirrels become vary wary
Follow local laws (no shooting w/in city limits)
Skunks

New Mexico is home to the
Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
 Western spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis)
 Hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus mesoleucus)
 Hooded skunk (Mephitis macroura)

New Mexico Skunks
Hog-nosed
Hooded
Striped
Spotted
Variety of habitats: farmland, grasslands, ravines, rocky outcrops, fence
lines, woodlots, forest edges.
Key is food supply and denning sites/cover.
Illustrations and distributions courteous Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Skunk Diet


Omnivorous; diet depends on season
Feed on insects (beetles, grasshoppers,
crickets, grubs)
Earthworms, snails, clams, crayfish, frogs
 Mice, voles, moles, rats, squirrels
 Bird eggs, carrion, garbage
 Variety of wild fruits

Skunk Populations

On average move 0.6-2 miles depending
on season and geographic location

Densities vary but are
highest in early summer
as juvenile skunks
become active
Skunk Diseases

Major vector of rabies
Account for 20% of rabies cases in the US
 Skunks with rabies may be extremely docile
or exhibit extreme aggression


Very susceptible to canine distemper
virus, leptospirosis, and infectious
canine hepatitis

Leptospirosis is a widespread bacterial
disease to which humans are also susceptible
Skunk Damage

Ranging from nuisance to economic damage
• Digging in lawns, golf courses, gardens
for grubs and invertebrates
• Denning under residential buildings
•
Odor can be noxious to humans
Skunk Habitat Modification
Proper garbage & (pet) food storage and
disposal
Attracted to rodents and denning sites


•
•
•

Barns, crawl spaces, sheds, garages
Debris such as lumber, fence posts, junk cars
Remove fallen fruits, nuts and etc.
Clean up and seal off
•
•
wire mesh, sheet metal, or concrete
Fencing with 3 inch mesh buried 1.5 - 2 feet
Skunk Repellents

No registered repellents

Moth balls or flakes
(paradichlorobenzene or naphthalene)

Ammonia-soaked cloths
Repellents only a temporary measure
Skunk Behavior

Normally docile, nonagressive, and usually
flee

If provoked will face adversary and
discharge their musk

Musk may be expelled as a fine spray
or as droplets to a range of 10-16 ft
 Spray
myths…
Trapping Skunks





Box traps
Canned cat food
Broken raw egg reduce
non-target catches
Use canvas to cover trap before
setting
Dispatch or released
•
Transport at least 10 miles
Odor Removal

Pets and People
•
•
•
•
•
1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide
¼ cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
1 teaspoon liquid dish soap
Mix and bathe thoroughly
Rinse with tap water and repeat as necessary
Skunks

New Mexico is home to the
Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
 Western spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis)
 Hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus mesoleucus)
 Hooded skunk (Mephitis macroura)

Rabbits
NM Rabbits

Species found in New Mexico
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
 Nuttall’s Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttalli)
 Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni)
 White-tailed Jack Rabbit (Lepus townsendii)
 Black-tailed Jack Rabbit (Lepus californicus)

Cottontail Habitat

Wide variety of disturbed, early successional,
or shrub-dominated habitats with abundant
forage and dense understory cover
Jackrabbit Habitat

In NM, black-tailed occupy desert shrub
communities dominated by
mesquite, snakeweed,
& soap-tree yucca.
Cottontail and Jackrabbit Diet



Diet influenced by seasonal availability
Prefer green vegetation when available
Herbaceous plants during growing season;
woody species during dormant season
•
Buds, bark, small twigs, mesquite leaves and
seedpods
Rabbit Damage



Damage by cottontails and
jackrabbits similar
Vegetable gardens especially
susceptible
Ornamental trees and shrubs
susceptible to overbrowsing,
girdling, and stripping of bark
 High populations can damage rangelands
Rabbit Exclusion

Best garden insurance is a tight poultry wire fence
• 1-inch-mesh wire 24 to 36 inches high
• Cut tall grass, weeds, and brush near the garden

Protect young trees and shrubs
with hardware cloth cylinder
• 1-inch-mesh
Illustration from: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. Editors, S. E. Hygnstrom, R.M. Timm, G.E. Larson. 1994. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 2 vols.
Rabbit Control

Trapping best method in cities, parks, urban areas
•
•




Cold weather bait: dried alfalfa, clover
Warm weather bait: apples, carrots, cabbage
Chemical repellents
• Discourage browsing but provide only temporary
No toxicants or fumigants registered
Shooting (considered nongame in NM);
However license required for nonresidents
Snakes
NM Snakes


46 species of snakes in New Mexico
8 poisonous species in New Mexico

7 Rattlesnakes and Coral snake
Western diamondback
 Black-tailed
 Western (prairie)
 Massasauga
 Ridgenose
 Rock
 Mojave

Photo by E.K. Schafhauser
Snake Biology

Nature’s most efficient mousetrap

Help keep rodent pests in check

Become inactive during very hot and cold
times of day and season

Rely on behavior to regulate body temperature
Seek shade during hot part of day,
 sun themselves in warm open areas on cool days

Snakes

Unproven home remedies:
•
Moth balls, sulfur, lime, cayenne pepper

No fumigants or poisons registered

No effective snake repellent

Modify the environment is effective
Likely Places to Find Snakes
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Firewood and haystacks
Old lumber or junk piles
Gardens and flower beds with heavy mulch
Untrimmed shrubs near foundation
Unmowed lawns
Pond and stream banks with debris or trash
Cluttered basements and attics with rodent,
bird, or bat problems
Modify Habitat

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
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Lawns kept clean and closely mowed
Remove rock, junk, and trash piles
Trim shrubs above 12 inches from ground
Stack firewood on rack 12 inches from
ground
Keep dog and cat food cleaned up
Removal small rodents
Prevent Snakes Entering Home




Check foundation for cracks and
openings 1/4 inch or larger
Use mortar to plug holes
Use 1/8 inch hardware cloth or
sheet metal seal holes and cracks
in wood
Seal cracks and opening around
windows, doors, pipes, and wiring
with caulk
Snake Bites

~45,000 snakebites/year in U.S.

~ 8,000 by a venomous snake

However, very few individuals die from a
venomous snakebite
Snake Bites: What to Do
(from Juckett, G., and J, Hancox. 2001. Venomous Snakebites in the United States:
Management Review and Update. American Family Physician 65:1367-74,1377.)
1.
Safe location
2.
Seek emergency medical attention

Keep victim calm and minimize activity

Immobilize the limb

Remove jewelry or tight clothing (in case of swelling)
Snake Bites: What NOT to Do
(from Juckett, G., and J, Hancox. 2001. Venomous Snakebites in the United States:
Management Review and Update. American Family Physician 65:1367-74,1377.)

Do not “cut and suck”.

Do not ice.

Do not use electrical shocks.

Do not use alcohol.

Do not use a tourniquet or constriction band.

Do not try to catch or kill the snake;
Glueboard
Birds
Pigeons (aka Rock Dove)






Highly dependent on humans
Primarily grain and seed eaters
Droppings deface buildings and
properties
Consume large quantities of food and feed
destined for human or livestock consumption
May carry and transmit diseases to people
and livestock through droppings
(e.g. Salmonella)
Not federally protected
Pigeon & Disease
Encephalitis
Newcastle Disease
Cryptococcosis
Toxoplasmosis
Salmonella
Histoplasmosis
Control Nuisance Birds

Remove & exclude daily requirements

Use a variety of excluding & repelling
methods simultaneously

Plant selection: avoid edible nuts, fruits, berries

Reduce house sparrows:
•
•
European startling
(Sturnus vulgaris)
feed only black, oil-type sunflower seeds
discontinue feeding in spring, summer, early fall
 Water sources attract starlings and others
Exclusion
(Prevent Nesting
or Roosting)


Nylon or plastic netting,
plywood, sheet metal, ¼
wire mesh
on rafters, under hangs,
vents, plants, steeples,
etc.
Sticky nontoxic repellents (e.g. ledges, roof beams)
(Tanglefoot, Roost-No-More)
(messy, collect dirt, reapplication necessary)
Exclusion
(Prevent Nesting or Roosting)
Wire Prongs or Bird Spikes
4, 6 & 8”
Frightening Devices
Alarm and distress calls
 Exploding shells
 Gas exploders
 Balloons with big “eyes”
 Water sprays


Hawk silhouettes

Flashing lights
YES for starlings and blackbirds; NO for house sparrows and pigeons
Most effective: move visual & noisemakers
(and persistence)
Netting or Trapping Birds

Live traps for house sparrows
include
•
Funnel traps
• Nest box traps
• Mist nets
 Protected songbirds can be released

Prebait with cracked corn 1 to 2
weeks

Check with local Game and Fish
Dept. for local trapping regulations
SWALLOWS
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Cave Swallow (Pertochelidon fulva)
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
Violet-green Swallow (T. thalassina)
Purple Martin (Progne subis)
Northern Roughwinged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx
serripennis)
Cliff Swallow (P. pyrrhonota)
Health Issues & Swallows
Not known to be a significant source
of any infectious disease transmittable
to humans or domestic animals
Swallow habitat
1. Open area for foraging (insectivores; range 4 mi.)
2. Suitable surface for nest construction (overhang
or ledge)
3. Supply of mud
4. Fresh water for drinking
Human structures have increased the number and
distribution of suitable nesting sites.
Swallow Biology and Behavior
N migration – mid-March to mid-April
Homing tendency
- CS arrive w/in ~ 24 hours
- possibly staggered w/ large colonies
CS colonies often abandoned after a few years –
thought to be response of heavy insect infestations
Swallow Biology and Behavior
Nest Constrcution
M & F construct nests
usu. 1-2 weeks to build
(w/in ~ ½ mile)
900-1400 mud pellet/nest
Egg laying (CS)
1/d usu. 3-4/clutch
late-Mar through early May
M & F incubate eggs
12-16 d for CS
13-17 d for BS
Fledge: CS 20-25d BS 17-24d post-hatch
CS may raise 2 broods/y
NEST REMOVAL
Permit required to disturb occupied nests.
No permit required to remove unoccupied nests
Knock nests down as they are being built –
consistent effort required for success
Nest failure common so birds persistent
-annual vigilance needed
- Habitat Modification: smooth surfaces less
attractive (fiberglass panels)
Swallow Exclusion
Woodpeckers in NM

Northern flicker, Yellow-bellied sapsucker,
Red-bellied sapsucker, Red-headed
woodpecker

Listed as migratory, nongame birds and protected
by state and federal laws

Permits must be obtained from USFWS before live trapping
or killing woodpeckers
• Migratory Bird Office (505) 248-7882
Illustration from WhatBird.com
Woodpecker Control

Exclusion- effective in preventing damage to wood
& stucco siding using:
•
¾ inch mesh netting (for overhanging eaves)
•
metal sheathing
•
¼-inch hardware
 Repellents
•
•
•
•
•
Hawk, falcon, owl silhouettes
Plastic strips
Noise makers
Water sprinklers
Taste and odor repellents
BATS
Order Chiroptera
• approximately 1,000 species of bats
• only Rodentia has more species
Colonial bats:
little brown bat; big brown bat;
Mexican free-tailed bat; pallid
bat; Yuma bat
Most often encountered around
human-built structures
Solitary bats:
red bat; silver-haired bat; hoary
bat
typically roost in tree foliage or
under bark, occasionally in
buildings
BENEFITS
Bats are insectivorous and are capable of consuming ½ their body
weight in insects per night
A large colony is capable of eating tons of insect annually
Bats pollinate trees and cacti (including Agave plants)
DAMAGE
Occupy attics, spaces between walls, unused area in upper stories of
buildings
Guano and urine create bad odor and may have health risks associated
with them. If you have a large accumulation of guano – contact a
professional to clean up the mess.
Histoplasma capsulatum (Histoplasmosis, airborne transmission)
Neurotropic lyssavirus (Rabies, 6% prevalence nationally)
BATS
Urban & Feral Predators
Urban Coyotes
increasing no. encounters
habitat modification
remove food & shelter sources
small children always attended
Feral Dogs
Feral Cats
Sam Smallidge
Wildlife Specialist
[email protected]
575-646-5944
Extension Animal Sciences &
Natural Resources Department
Cooperative Extension Service, College of
Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences
Extension Wildlife Publications online:
http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_L