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Muskoka Wildlife

RACCOONS

Discourage Raccoons From Moving In

Wild animals belong in the wild. For their protection and your own, they should not be allowed to take up residence inside or near your home.

Although some mammals are more susceptible to some strains of rabies, any animal can be infected by any strain of rabies. A strain new to Ontario, which is spread by raccoons, could enter the province some time this year, most likely in the Niagara Region.

Keep raccoons away

·         Do not provide food or shelter for raccoons or other wild animals. It is against the law to keep wildlife, including raccoons, as pets.

·         If your pet's food is usually left outside, bring it in at the end of the day.

Raccoon-proof your home

You may want to contact a professional for advice, or raccoon-proof your home yourself:

·         Cover up potential entrances, such as uncapped chimneys, loose shingles and openings in attics, roofs and eaves. If you're not sure where raccoons are getting in, sprinkle flour around potential entrances and check for footprints later. You can also stuff a rag or ball of paper in a suspect hole and check later to see if it has been removed.

·         Make a raccoon den unlivable. Sprinkle naphtha flakes around the area or hang ammonia-soaked cotton rags near the entrance and keep the area brightly lit. Raccoons dislike loud noises, bright lights and strong smells. Use the same methods in your garden or in the area where you keep your garbage or composter.

·         Always cover composters and garbage cans. Use a bungie cord or a heavy weight to keep the lid in place.

·         Make sure that all raccoons or other animals have left before sealing up holes in any part of a building. This is especially important between May and July when there may be young.

·         Block the entrances to a raccoon den once you're sure all the animals have left. You can use sheet metal. Repair siding and holes in buildings, and use heavy rustproof screening to cover open air vents or chimneys.

·         Trim all overhanging tree branches or any other structure that animals might use to get on to the roof of a residence or detached building.

HANDLING WILDLIFE
Fact Sheet

As warmer weather approaches, both wildlife and people become more active and the chances of interaction between the two increases.

People who see young wildlife alone in the spring often mistakenly think these animals are sick, abandoned or orphaned, but it is common for young to be left alone for periods of time, especially during the day. Unless you are sure a young animal is abandoned, do not disturb it. You may do more harm than good. For example, female deer spend much of the day away from the fawns during the weeks after the fawn is born. This minimizes the chances of predators finding the fawn by following the female deer's scent trail. If you approach a fawn, you may cause it to run and leave a scent trail, making it easier for predators to find the fawn.

When young birds are learning to fly and forage for food they often fall to the ground. The adult waits for the fledgling to return to the nest or feeds the young bird while it is on the ground. If the fledgling is uninjured, it is safe for a person to return the bird to its nest. Most birds have a poor sense of smell, so the mother will not reject her young if you touch it. If you must handle wildlife, always wear gloves.

Young squirrels often fall from their nests even before their eyes open. Usually, the adult squirrel will retrieve their young and return it to the nest when it is safe.

To determine if young wildlife is truly orphaned:

·          Check the animal periodically for 24 to 48 hours to see if it has left the area.

·          Keep the area quiet and free of cats and dogs. The adult will not return if it is noisy or if predators or people are nearby.

·          Observe the animal to see if it is well nourished and active. The animal probably is not an orphan if it is healthy and well fed.

Contact your local Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) office if you find an orphaned animal. Staff will help you locate an authorized wildlife custodian. Under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, a person cannot keep wildlife without approval. Keeping an orphan animal in your home could endanger you and your family by exposing you to diseases like rabies, and it is an offence.

Sick or Diseased Wildlife:

If you come across sick or diseased wildlife and you suspect a public health risk, such as rabies or West Nile Virus, contact your regional or local health unit immediately. Symptoms of illness in animals can include tremors, convulsions and loss of fear of humans.

If the animal is alive and there is a public safety issue, contact your local police department. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is then contacted to assess whether or not the animals need to be tested for diseases like rabies.

Injured Animals:

If you find an injured wild animal, contact your MNR Office for details about authorized custodians in your area. Under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, the only people who may care for sick, injured or young game, or specially protected wildlife, are veterinarians for medial care or authorized wildlife custodians for rehabilitation.

Nuisance Animals:

Landowners are responsible for managing nuisance animals on their properties including any costs.

The Ministry of Natural Resources can help landowners in:

·          determining if the animals are a nuisance,

·          assessing options for deterring the nuisance behaviour, and

·          providing information on animal control services.

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act provides the property owner the option of capturing, harassing or killing nuisance wildlife where the property owner believes on reasonable grounds that the wildlife is damaging or about to damage property. This does not include deer, moose, caribou or elk. Property owners can do this themselves or use an authorized agent.

Wildlife is an important part of Ontario's natural and cultural heritage. Wildlife is often a welcome addition to a landowner's property, but there are circumstances under which wildlife can become a nuisance.

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) can help landowners by providing:

·          fact sheets on typical nuisance animal biology and behaviour,

·          information on animal control services and recommended best practices,

·          appropriate agency referrals, and

·          information required to obtain permits where required

Landowners are responsible for managing nuisance animals on their properties including any costs.

What is a nuisance animal?
Wildlife becomes a nuisance when an animal damages, or is about to damage, your property. Just having wildlife on your property does not make it a nuisance animal.

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act sets out the legal actions property owners can take, when they can take those actions and the species of animals for which they can take those actions. In general, landowners, or an agent of the landowner may capture, kill, or harass nuisance wildlife to stop it from damaging the landowner's property.

There are some exceptions:

·          Moose, caribou, elk or endangered species cannot be captured, killed or harassed in protection of property.

·          White-tailed deer cannot be captured, killed or harassed unless you possess a Deer Removal Permit issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).

·          Unnecessary suffering cannot be caused to any wildlife.

·          Bears killed in defence of property must be immediately reported to the local MNR office. As well, specially protected raptors and furbearing mammals killed in defence of property and that an individual wishes to keep must be reported to the MNR within two working days.

The ministry does not condone the killing of wildlife where other options may be available. Whenever possible, exclusion is the preferred option. Property owners are advised to check with their local municipality regarding discharge of firearms by-laws. Only licensed trappers may possess and use body-gripping traps.

Releasing captured animals

If you live-capture a nuisance animal, within 24 hours you must:

·          release it in close proximity to where it was caught (up to a maximum of one kilometre) as directed by MNR

·          if it is sick, injured, or immature, turn it over to a veterinarian or an authorized wildlife custodian, or

·          humanely euthanize it.

In a raccoon rabies "high-risk area", rabies carrier species, such as raccoons, skunks, and foxes, must be released immediately at point of capture, or humanely euthanized as soon as possible and within 24 hours.

Using an agent
You may hire or ask someone to deal with nuisance animals on your land. The person you hire or ask is your agent and must have authorization from MNR. The following categories of people are authorized by the regulations to act as agents:

·          a licensed trapper,

·          an employee or agent of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) appointed under the OSPCA Act,

·          a member of your immediate family,

·          a person whose main business is removing nuisance animals (animal control agents as listed in yellow pages), and

·          employees or agents of a municipality whose responsibilities relate to wildlife control.

Other persons may act as agents, but will require individual authorizations before acting in protection of property situations. Contact your local MNR district office regarding this. Specific sections in the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and Regulations guide farmers who may have to deal with situations of crop depredation by deer.

Life Cycle
Red foxes live an average of three to four years in the wild, but may live up to12 years. They breed in monogamous pairs, once a year. Breeding usually occurs in spring and females give birth 51 to 53 days later. The average litter contains six kits, but can range from one to ten in size. The male stays with the family and assists in the rearing of the young. The young stay with both parents for about five weeks and disperse in the fall.

Hibernation
Red foxes do not hibernate and are active year-round.

Habitat
A pair of foxes will occupy a territory of three to eight square kilometres, which they will defend from other foxes. Territory boundaries are marked with scent and urine. Foxes will select den sites near human areas and commonly inhabit many large urban centers in Ontario. Coyotes may drive foxes out of their range where ranges overlap.

Diet
Red foxes are omnivores, eating both plant and animal material, but prefer animal matter. This includes small rodents, frogs, insects, birds and snakes. Plant material includes acorns, grasses, corn, fruits and berries.

Behaviour
Red foxes are solitary and hunt alone except during breeding season. Males are not overly territorial, except during breeding season. The young accompany the parents while hunting and foraging to learn skills. There is antagonism between coyotes and foxes. A fox will bark if a coyote approaches a den. Coyotes often chase foxes but rarely catch them. The fox can reach speeds up to 48 kilometres per hour.

Foxes are an important part of rodent control. The great alertness of the red fox and its keen sense of smell, hearing and sight enable it to live close to humans without being easily noticed. An urban fox does not have the same fear of humans as a rural fox. However, an adult fox will generally respect the presence of a human and retreat when approached. Foxes should never be fed as they will quickly adapt to a human food source, which usually ends poorly for the animal.

It is normal to see a fox out and about after dawn and before dusk, or anytime during the day when they are feeding their young. It is also normal to see foxes sunning themselves. Females may appear to have a scruffy coat during spring and summer while they are nursing their young.

It is not normal for an adult fox to approach a dog or humans. Abnormal conditions or behaviour includes staggering, disorientation, paralysis of the hind limbs or attacking objects in a frenzied manner. Foxes should not be found in a doghouse, garage or trying to get into the house.

Predators
Normal predators include man, wolves, coyotes, dogs, hawks and owls.

Diseases
Red foxes are carriers of rabies, distemper and mange in North America. Rabies is a viral disease with symptoms similar to distemper. Rabies can be transmitted to humans, livestock and pets. Distemper is a major viral disease of foxes. Transmission of distemper is through contact with the excretions or secretions of infected animals. Distemper cannot be transmitted to humans or immunized pets. Mange is the most common disease of foxes across North America, and causes significant mortality within their populations. Mange is caused by a mite and can be transmitted to humans and pets. Symptoms include an itching red rash.

BATS

The main types of bat found in Ontario are the Little Brown Bat and the Big Brown Bat.

Life Cycle
Breeding usually occurs in late summer and the female stores the sperm until the following April. The female then gives birth 60 to 90 days later. There are usually one or two young. The young are usually under parental care during June and July. No nest is required, as the young are able to fly and obtain their own food in just three weeks.

Hibernation
Bats hibernate during the winter months from November to March. The Big Brown Bat is the most likely species to hibernate in buildings such as houses and barns. Little Brown Bats prefer caves or mines to hibernate in for the winter.

Habitat
Bats select attics for nursery colonies. Bats can squeeze through very tiny spaces (as small as six mm) and this is how they access many roosting areas. When there are many bats in a colony, they may pose a problem with odour and droppings. This could be considered a health risk if it has reached a stage where it is noticeable. During periods of extreme cold, bats will often squeeze through the vapour barrier and end up inside a home. If this happens, these bats cannot be immediately released outside as they will freeze to death.

Diet
Bats are insect eaters. One bat may consume hundreds of flying insects each night during the summer. The mechanism by which they locate food is known as echolocation.

Behaviour
Bats are nocturnal animals. They feed at night and are most active during the second and third hours of sunset. During the day they roost in trees and buildings.

Predators
Owls prey on bats at night. During the day, snakes or raccoons may prey upon them while they are roosting.

Diseases
Bats are carriers of rabies. Bats observed flying during the day or crawling about on the ground should be avoided. They are most likely sick or injured. As with any animal, if you must handle it, always wear gloves and if possible use forceps or tongs to pick it up. Place it in a sealed container with air holes. If it has come into contact with humans or pets, contact your local health unit for advice if it's alive, or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency if it is dead. Bat bites are not always noticeable. If a bat is found in a bedroom where a person has been sleeping, contact your local health unit immediately for advice, and contact a local wildlife control agent to capture the animal.