Natural Resources
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Natural Resources |
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city government news & events about apple valley employment resources |
Departments > Natural Resources > Wildlife | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wildlife Issues General Informational Resource for Residents. Have a question about gardens or landscape plants? Insects or wildlife? Plant disease? Soil testing? Try the University Of Minnesota Extension Service In Your Yard & Garden Line Trapping or Catching of Wild Animals. The City does not handle pest problems involving small wild animals such as woodchucks, raccoons, rabbits, or squirrels. The Police Department does, however, have live traps available for rent to trap the animal yourself. For more information >>> Coyotes. When development occurs in suburban areas, homeowners will have the opportunity to be exposed to more wildlife. In recent years, there have been numerous news reports about coyote sightings in a number of cities around the Metro Area. Coyotes have also been spotted in Apple Valley. Apple Valley is home to the Lebanon Hills Regional Park and has many undeveloped and wooded areas around ponds and wetlands. These green spaces make Apple Valley more desirable for residents, but they also provide a habitat that is attractive to coyotes. While coyotes may find shelter in these green areas, they may scavenge and hunt in a wide surrounding area, including in fully developed areas. Food source is often the reason there are issues with wild animals. Coyotes are predators of a variety of small animals, such as rodents and squirrels, and have also been known to prey on pets. Residents who own dogs or cats should be aware that coyotes may be a threat to their pets outdoors. If coyotes are sighted in your neighborhood, pets should not be left unattended outdoors. There are also some precautions that can help increase pet safety and to create an environment that is not welcoming to coyotes:
According to the Department of Natural Resources, there are no documented reports of coyote attacks on humans in Minnesota. Normally, coyotes are more afraid of humans than we are of them. If a coyote confronts you, shouting in an aggressive voice, waving your arms, or throwing non-food items at the coyote is likely to scare them away. However, if you observe a coyote that does not shy away from humans, please contact to the City of Apple Valley Natural Resources Division via e-mail, or call 952-953-2570. Mosquito- and Tick-Bourne Diseases. The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District provides useful information on insect-bourne diseases, a place to report mosquito problems, and much more. Metropolitan Mosquito Control District>>> Goose Concerns. Are geese causing problems for your yard? Many times geese are present on manicured lawns because it is a great source of food. To escape predation, they prefer to have a direct sight line of escape to the pond. Buffer zone plantings are one way to deter geese from feeding and nesting in your yard. Link to the MN DNR web site for more information on geese >>> Avian Botulism. Sick or dead waterfowl in area ponds may be the result of avian botulism. The effects of this disease have been seen on some of the City's storm ponds during the past few years. Mallard ducks are the usual victims, most likely due to the abundance of them inhabiting Apple Valley ponds. Avian botulism, types A through G, is a well known disease that can infect nearly all bird species. Type C is probably the most common and can have devastating effects on waterfowl and shorebirds in wetland and pond habitats. Avian botulism type C is caused by a naturally occurring soil-born bacterium, Clostridium botulinum, that is ingested by waterfowl and shorebirds while feeding on the shoreline or bottom sediments. The bacterium grows best in warm water conditions, with most outbreaks of botulism occurring in summer and fall. Symptoms of botulism usually begin with birds having difficulty walking, the inability to fly, and eventually, unable to hold their head up, the ducks drown. Bird carcasses left to decay are invaded by egg-laying flies and soon become covered with maggots, which are fed on by other birds, especially young of the year waterfowl. The infection rate can reach epidemic proportions through this dead bird-maggot cycle. At this time recommended botulism control consists of prompt removal
and disposal of dead bird carcasses to break the dead bird-maggot cycle.
There is presently no known treatment for ponds having frequent outbreaks
of botulism. Please report any dead or sick-looking waterfowl to the City
of Apple Valley Natural Resources Division via e-mail, or call 952-953-2570.
Content updated on: 17-Apr-2008
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