What animal is killing goats?
DEAR JOAN >> Three neighbors nearby here in the Lexington Hills have had their goat herds slaughtered at night in the last month by mountain lions. That amounts to 12 goats, none of which was eaten.
We theorize these are animals forced out of their regular hunting grounds by the recent fires.
I’m concerned because I keep seven horses, two of which are ponies. We are putting the ponies in the barn at night, placing wire mesh over the several Dutch door openings.
Is there any kind of deterrent that might dissuade a lion from looking for other openings, like the space between roof overhangs? We hope the large horses can handle the situation, but the short guys might be overwhelmed. I’m so worried. Any suggestions?
— Sue Cristallo, Los Gatos
DEAR SUE >> Has anyone actually seen a mountain lion kill one of the goats? Because I’m not at all convinced the cougars are to blame.
Mountain lions don’t hunt in packs, and neither do they kill for fun. When a mountain lion kills, it drags the carcass away to eat. It might cover it and return to continue eating.
The most common predator of goats is the coyote, but it also kills for food, and will take one goat every few days. It sounds more like there is a dog or a pack of dogs involved that is killing for sport.
The larger horses most likely can take care of themselves, but the ponies could use a bit more protection. You could install some motion-activated lights and alarms, which if nothing else would alert you to an intruder.
You also could install a predator light — a device that mimics the red, glowing eyes of another predator. Otherwise, make sure the barn is secured against intruders.
DEAR JOAN >> We’ve been feeding finches for quite a long time now. There is a fairly deep pile of nyjer thistle seed hulls on the ground around the feeder.
Recently, a 50-yearold rose bush that was always the healthiest of the 24 that we have, and a lavender bush, have died. Both were in the seed hull drop area. It has us wondering about possible toxicity of the seed hulls, although it didn’t kill the privet.
— Larry and Phyllis Ronhaar, Walnut Creek
DEAR LARRY AND PHYLLIS >>
Nyjer seed, which comes from the African yellow daisy (Guizotia abyssinica) is part of the Asteraceae family, which includes daisies and sunflowers.
The nyjer and sunflower seeds both contain toxins known as allelochemicals, which inhibit the growth and seed germination in some plants. The fallen hulls, especially in large numbers, could be harming your plants.
Researchers are exploring whether this phenomenon, known as the allelopathic effect, where one plant releases a chemical that is harmful to another, is a viable substitute for herbicides in controlling weeds on agricultural lands. One study revealed that when nyjer was allowed to grow among bean crops, the number of weeds was reduced.
You should consider moving the feeder, putting a tray under it to catch the hulls, or frequently raking up the hulls.