WHEN IT COMES TO STATE OUTDOOR RISKS, THINK SMALL
They aren’t actively trying to harm you, but you’d be wise to keep your eyes out for these five kinds of critters when you’re outside this summer
This summer Wisconsin will be home to more than 30,000 black bears, 1,000 gray wolves and even a mountain lion or two.
All told, the density of toothy, hairy, wild predators in the
Badger State is among the highest in the nation.
It’s enough to raise the hackles on humans when they venture outdoors.
“I’ll admit I sometimes talk out loud or clear my throat when coming up to a corner,” said Jim Hughes, 62, of Wauwatosa, who has often encountered bears when jogging and biking on trails and roads near his cabin in Wisconsin’s Northwoods near Lakewood. “It’s far more common to see bears now than 40 years ago.”
And two recent wildlife-related fatalities in the U.S. — caused by a cougar in
Washington and an alligator in Florida — have ratcheted up the anxiety of some.
It raises the questions: What are the leading wild animal threats to Wisconsin-
And how can we reduce the risks?
Here’s one of the first things to acknowledge in any discussion of wildlife danger to humans: perception often overshadows reality.
“We are programmed to fear something big and powerful, no doubt about it,” said Dan Hirchert, Wisconsin director of APHIS Wildlife Services for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “But injuries from large wild animal attacks on humans in Wisconsin are very rare.”
In fact, no fatal attack by a wild bear, wolf or cougar on a human in Wisconsin has been recorded in more than 100 years, according to the USDA.
For the leading threats to human health, think smaller.
Hughes, who has been traveling to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest for more than six decades, provides a good example. He spends about 100 days a year with his wife, Mary, at their cabin near Lakewood.
“The first thing we do when we come in is do a tick check on us, the boys and the dog,” Hughes said.
The behavior, Hughes said, was passed along from his mother. None of Hughes’ family, including the canine members, has been diagnosed with a tick-related disease.
The wisdom of a mother in this case is priceless. When it comes to mitigating risks from Wisconsin critters, it’s vital to avoid bites from things that crawl and fly.
In fact, only one other behavior is likely more important: vigilance on the roadways.
White-tailed deer, a prey species, is a far greater threat to human safety than all the wild predators combined.
Here’s a list of wildlife risks to humans in Wisconsin and ways to avoid them:
Deer
With more than 1.3 million deer in Wisconsin this summer, the handsome state wildlife animal poses the leading risk to human health. And it’s not because the bucks want to rub their velvet on us.
The danger occurs as humans and deer intersect on state roadways. In 2017, nine people were killed in deer-related crashes in Wisconsin. The accidents are particularly deadly to motorcyclists. Last year, six of the fatalities involved motorbikes.
And from 15 percent to 20 percent of deer/vehicle crashes result in at least some injury to the human, according to the state Department of Transportation.
In 2016, State Farm placed the odds of a human/ deer collision in the Badger State at 1 in 77.
State law enforcement agencies reported 19,976 deer vs. motor vehicle crashes in 2015, according to the DOT. The actual number is much higher as many motorists choose not to report such collisions.
So how to avoid hitting a deer? According to the DOT: Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path, and (if in a car or truck) don’t swerve or veer out of your lane; be especially vigilant in early morning and evening hours when deer are most active; slow down and eliminate distractions, and when one deer appears, look for more.
Mosquitoes
Biting insects are found in all 72 Wisconsin counites? ties and can transmit diseases as readily in suburban backyards as in remote areas.
Mosquitoes are a primary vector for diseases, including West Nile virus, a relatively recent but serious arrival in Wisconsin.
In 2017, four Wisconsinites died of West Nile, according to statistics kept by the state Department of Health Services.
Mosquitoes also transmit La Crosse encephalitis and Powassan virus infections in Wisconsin.
To reduce the risk from mosquito bites, state health officials recommend using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks and shoes, and taking measures such as repairing window screens and keeping doors closed so the insects can’t enter living spaces.
Ticks
When it comes to loathsome critters, nothing beats ticks, including the black-legged (or deer) tick and the American dog (wood) tick commonly found in Wisconsin.
The small, blood-sucking animals pass along a host of life-threatening and life-altering diseases to humans.
Lyme disease is the highest-reported tick-borne illness in Wisconsin, but numbers for other conditions — including babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis and spotted fever rickettsiosis — are increasing, according to state health statistics.
There were 1,491 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Wisconsin in 2016, the last year of data available from the Department of Health Services.
To reduce the risk of tick bites, state health officials recommend avoiding wooded and bushy areas with high grass and lots of leaf litter; using effective tick repellents such as 20 percent-30 percent DEET on exposed skin and clothing; wearing long sleeves, long pants and long socks to keep ticks on the outside of clothing (light-colored clothing will help you spot ticks); tucking shirts into pants and pants into shoes or socks to keep ticks on the outside of clothing; performing daily tick checks after being outdoors, and immediately removing attached ticks with fine-tipped tweezers.
See a doctor if the tick wasn’t removed completely or if you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick.
Bees, wasps and hornets
These relatively large flying insects are also found widely across the state.
A sting from one typically results in localized pain and swelling. But some people also have a severe allergic reaction, including anaphylactic shock, that can be fatal.
A Washington Post analysis of government data between 2001 and 2013 found bees, wasps and hornets killed an average of 58 people annually in the U.S.
The state Health Department did not have figures specific to such stings in Wisconsin.
Insect repellents do not work against bees, wasps and hornets. To avoid stings it’s recommended to limit work or play near known nests and not leave soda cans or other containers of sweet liquids out in places where they might attract the insects.
Bears, wolves and cougars
The threats to humans from Wisconsin’s largest wild predators are, statistically speaking, extremely low.
The last recorded injury to a human from a bear was in June 2017 when a man sustained a bite to the thigh in Florence County.
“Most of these bear/human interactions are a result of dog/bear interaction and the human rushes in to save their dog,” said USDA’s Hirchert. “An actual predatory action towards a human from a bear is extremely rare in Wisconsin.”
There has been no wolf or cougar attack on a human in Wisconsin in modern history, according to USDA records.
That said, the big animals rightfully elicit an abundance of caution.
In two cases this year, the state Department of Natural Resources issued warnings about bears and wolves that exhibited unusual behavior in northern Wisconsin.
If confronted by a bear, wolf or cougar in Wisconsin, wildlife experts first recommend not approaching the animal.
If the animal moves toward you, speak in a loud voice or yell at it, wave your arms and make yourself appear large. If the animal continues to approach, throw objects at it or get a weapon, but do not run.
State rules allow lethal force against wildlife if the animal endangers human life.
“We take all risks to human safety seriously and are constantly monitoring bears and other wildlife, and removing them if necessary,” Hirchert said. “But I personally think it’s smart to remember the little things that can bite and the deer on the road, too.”