The residential and developed areas on Fort Benning are home to a multitude of wildlife species. It is not uncommon for residents and employees to see deer, feral swine, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, foxes and a variety of birds in and around their place of work. The sightings create awe and wonder for young children and opportunities for them to learn about these creatures. However, seeing some of these animals or the mischief they can cause stirs emotions of fear and anger.
If you encounter wildlife, the best thing to do is leave them alone. Observe from a distance, but do not attempt to approach or feed them. One thing that is inherent to wildlife is their fear of humans. As interaction with humans increases and they acclimate to our presence, that fear subsides. Getting closer to those animals, in particular feeding them, increases the likelihood of negative interactions, putting you at risk for injury or a potential disease transfer and a disruption of natural processes that may decrease that animal’s chance of survival.
Throughout the year you may see some species more frequently. Recently, we have been seeing an increase in reports of coyote sightings. Coyotes are often extremely skittish of humans, but this time of year they tend to be more visible as they search for food and teach their pups to survive. In nearly every instance, seeing a coyote is not a reason to become alarmed. However, if you see a coyote during daylight hours, particularly by itself, behaving in an aggressive manner, you should call the MPs or Conservation Branch personnel. This same rule applies to other species such as raccoons, opossums or foxes.
Other negative interactions may include opossums, raccoons or coyotes digging through your trash, pesky squirrels chewing on outside furniture or wires under your car, pets barking at any of those species in close proximity to your house, and countless others.
Keep in mind it is usually something we as humans are doing that increases the presence of those animals and the subsequent negative interactions.
There are several things you can do to minimize the potential for those undesired situations:
• Bird feeders around your home will attract squirrels, which can increase their reproductive capability. Their increased presence and numbers, coupled with a reduced fear of humans, only compounds the likelihood of the problems they cause.
• Putting your trash out on the curb the night before or earlier than is absolutely necessary provides more opportunity for a raccoon or coyote to scavenge your trash. This not only makes a mess, but animals quickly learn trash cans can provide a free meal and the problem will get worse.
There is a great deal of information on the Internet to read about urban wildlife issues and actions you can take to minimize negative interactions. Take time to read through some of that information if you are interested or having problems. Somebody may have already dealt with the issue you are having and developed a solution. Feel free to call the Conservation Branch as well with questions, 706-544-7516.
