Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management Provides Solutions
LINCOLN, Neb. â€" Have you ever heard the scurry of mice running through your house night after night or fought to keep that curious raccoon out of your garden? Have you struggled finding the right information to keep those unwanted critters from future visits?
(Media-Newswire.com) - LINCOLN, Neb. — Have you ever heard the scurry of mice running through your house night after night or fought to keep that curious raccoon out of your garden? Have you struggled finding the right information to keep those unwanted critters from future visits?
Answers for all your wildlife questions, be they identification, prevention or management, can be found at the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management ( http://icwdm.org ) powered by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.
Stephen Vantassel, the center's webmaster, says the center provides research-based access to anything and everything related to wildlife damage management on the Web.
"We want the Web site to be the first and only site people need to find information about wildlife damage management," Vantassel said.
Through the site people can learn how to evaluate a nuisance wildlife control operator to discover whether the individual has the skills and knowledge they need to solve a wildlife problem.
"It is important to be an informed consumer to know if the professional is providing all the possible options," said Vantassel.
The center also provides various kinds of training material such as how to inspect buildings for wildlife damage and potential for wildlife damage. According to Vantassel, raccoons only need a hole the size of a softball to enter a building. Squirrels need a hole the size of an orange, and mice only need a hole the size of a pencil to squeeze into a new place.
The "Ask the Expert" function of the Web site enables visitors to address specific questions to Vantassel.
The Web site also dispels several wildlife myths such as those surrounding animal translocations. Removing a squirrel from a yard and driving it out of the city to find a "better home" may make the person feel good, but isn't necessarily better for the animal.
"That animal has to find food, shelter and water in a new place all while avoiding predators. The chance of it living for very long is low," Vantassel said.
Vantassel also says, in general, people want quick fixes. Unfortunately, there isn't any magic.
"Although we try to teach prevention, there is a tremendous resistance to prevention measurements," said Vantassel.
The Center for Wildlife Damage Management started in 1996. Other collaborators are Cornell, Clemson and Utah State universities. Last year the site received over 1 million visitors. Click here to visit the Center for Wildlife Damage Management.
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Contacts:
Stephen Vantassel Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management Project Coordinator ( 402 ) 472-8961
This story was released on 2009-02-24. Please make sure to visit the official company or organization web site to learn more about the original release date. See our disclaimer for additional information.