Population growth and foraging
Environmentalist Anna Polyantseva assures that encounters with wild animals in summer cottages or on the territory of private houses are an extremely rare event. However, such cases are still recorded from year to year. And people often do not realize what kind of dangers the most harmless creatures.
“Often in the spring, hedgehogs, foxes, wild boars, owls and mice make their way to the cottage. It all stems from the insufficient need for warmth and food in the forest that has not yet fully thawed,” says the expert.
At the same time, veterinarian Ekaterina Baldrueva says that in early spring the sebum reserves in animals come to an end. And dirt and sludge do not allow the replenishment of these reserves, because hunting animals in such conditions is difficult.
“In the spring there is very little food for both herbivores and carnivores. Due to the lack of food, many begin to eat carrion. In search of food, weakened animals often appear next to people, ”explains the veterinarian.
For example, zoo engineer Anastasia Kalinina adds that squirrels look across fields in search of food, rabbits gnaw the bark of young trees, and roe deer eat branches of fruit trees. Attract residential buildings and mouse-like rodents, after them small predators from the mustelid family may appear: weasels, marten, marten. They are especially dangerous if there are poultry or rabbits.
“Foxes and raccoon dogs appear frequently, at this time they have a temper and are less afraid of humans. Open litter boxes and compost piles are attracted to the site by the presence of poultry. Foxes often prey on cats,” explains Polyantseva.
As soon as the sun warms the earth, poisonous snakes can also enter the site – vipers and litter, uncut grass, which are attracted by mouse-like rodents.
Deer, wolves and bears can enter the site in the spring, assures the host, farmer and blogger of the Village on the Moscow Region channel Alexei Grushko. At the same time, the last two species can appear as an exception – only by accidental detours and in settlements near the habitat. Deer can be found much more often in areas.
It’s not just the impossibility of hunting that drives people into foraging for wild animals. According to Grushko, populations of many species growing during the pandemic are forcing the animals to venture outside to humans.
“Population has increased, but food has not. If foresters or rangers don’t feed the animals, they go to humans. Deer are often seen licking salt from the ice on the roads, rabbits gnaw on apple trees in the fields. It is difficult to find food under the snow, ”says the expert.
On the other hand, foxes are most attracted to the presence of a home, especially a bird that they suffocate and eat.
Ferrets do the same, but according to Grushko they have more passion than hunger, so they often kill poultry like that.
But dangers in the spring await not only domestic birds. According to veterinarian Aziz Alekberov, with the onset of summer many migratory birds and fledglings, chicks that have just learned to fly or have just learned to fly turn out to be close to humans.
“Spring has arrived, so the season of bird-catching unspoken by the ‘compassionate’ begins. In this case, we are usually talking about Red Book birds. For example, last year I posted one in the Moscow region – it was caught at the Krasnoselskaya metro station. And so it goes from year to year. Birds sit down to rest during flight, and people think they can’t take off and take them home to “save” them, the vet says.
Also often “empathetic” take chicks that parents leave in the bushes and fly off in search of food. According to the vet, people think the chick has fallen out of the nest or is abandoned and want to “help” so they take them home, in 80% of cases the chick dies because people can’t even feed the chick properly. .
“Do not touch the birds unless they have visible injuries. There is no need to collect the chicks, because in 99% of cases their parents are somewhere nearby and they will soon return for the baby, ”the expert notes.
According to her, if you bought a flyer, you only have 12 hours to get it back to where her mom will pick it up. If 12 hours have passed, the chick belongs to the person who found it. But that doesn’t mean you can leave the job to yourself. Anyone who finds a bird should definitely show it to an ornithologist, who will help him decide his future fate.
Why are wild animals dangerous?
According to veterinarian Aziz Alekberov, wild animals are given into their hands only when they are tired or sick. Under all other circumstances, an animal will always run away from a human.
This vet was approved by Baldrueva. According to him, in ordinary life, wild animals avoid even human smell. And fearlessness can be the main symptom of one of the most serious diseases, such as rabies, that threatens both pets and humans.
“Most of the time, rabid foxes will appear in front of people without fear, look at a point and wag their tails. People come, they think: what a funny dog, they begin to feed, they become paralyzed. The consequences are sad – the animal bites a person, after which he is treated for a long and painful time. At best, you will have to do a lot of injections, at worst, you will have to die, ”says the expert.
Baldrueva notes that recently, rabies has taken over more and more animal species. Today it is recorded not only in foxes or hedgehogs, but also in beavers, weasels, badgers, gray rats, squirrels, martens, wild cats, deer, house mice, gray rats.
“Wild animals carry a large number of fleas and other parasites in addition to rabies. Bring it home – then you will be tired of dealing with zoofauna in the home and children. Also protect pets and farm animals from contact with wild animals, a rabid cow is a scary sight and dispose of it even worse,” says Baldrueva.
Doctor Alekberov reminds that all pets living in a private house should be vaccinated against rabies, as well as treated for parasites and fleas. So, according to ecologist Polyantseva, even a slight sting on a hedgehog’s sting or a scratch on an owl’s paw can lead to an abscess in both humans and animals.
Grushko also adds that spring is the breeding season for many animals, and they can become aggressive and aggressive due to the hormonal fluctuation during rutting.
“The same wild boars a priori are very aggressive animals, and if you encounter a hook, they can easily drag you out and cut their teeth. And if it will be possible to hide behind a tree from a visually impaired deer, then this will not work with a wild boar. The boar is a fast and agile animal, it will quickly catch you. ” the farmer warns.
What to do if a wild animal appears in the area
There are clear rules in this case, as veterinarian Baldrueva says: Do not touch animals, do not try to drive them away, protect children and pets from animals, call 112 to send a service that will guide and help. The doctor states that this procedure applies to any situation where a person encounters a wild animal.
Animal engineer Anastasia Kalinina also warns:
In no case should you try to get rid of animals yourself.
According to him, poisoning animals is dangerous, since the bait can be eaten by a pet. The same goes for crippling traps. The expert says that shooting in populated areas is also prohibited. Kalinina also notes that shooting outside the residential area requires a license and a hunting license, and killing the same viper in the Moscow region will be punished with a fine of 5 thousand rubles.
Veterinarian Baldruev advises all “Fenior Coopers who consider themselves great shooters” and then take a few factors into account by setting fire to the animals they intend to eat.
“First, you can bind people in a very small cell, which would lead to a long sentence. Secondly, the game must be properly cooked, otherwise you will have to remove a large number of nematodes, tapeworms and other parasites, some of which can penetrate the brain. Third, such behavior does not add dignity. Even if the animal is not sick, it did not give you a good life, but it is a shame to kill the weak.”
Blogger Grushko reminds that if the animal has the opportunity to leave, it will definitely leave and will definitely not linger next to people. The same goes for vipers, states Anastasia Kalinina: If the snake is disturbed, it will crawl away. And to protect against them, you need to remove the garbage on the site and mow the lawn.
If the zoo engineer does not rest and periodically appears in the area, it is best to contact management. You can also call the environmental committee.
“You can contact the police if the animal behaves aggressively or inappropriately, for example if it fights with dogs or tries to attack a person. A police officer has the right to use service weapons in case of a threat to the life and health of citizens, in accordance with the “Police Act”. There are also teams to help wild animals,” says the expert.
If you find the body of a wild animal, you should contact the veterinary department and send the body for examination to determine if it has rabies.