Concrete jungle
We defend them and deride them in equal measure. Here’s what Toronto’s doing to minimize wildlife conflict
Toronto’s relationship with its wildlife is complicated.
We curse the smug raccoon plucking meat off leftover chicken wings like a Roman god in the bottom of our green bins one day, and the next build a vigil when he meets his demise in our traffic. We turn him into memes, paint murals depicting him as Godzilla and collectively shun anyone treating him too harshly. (A shovel? No.) And then we curse him again as the little hedonist brings his friends to rip open every garbage bag on the street, scattering tissues and chip bags everywhere.
We think squirrels are cute, get twitterpated over baby skunks and a fox sighting may be more coveted than Drake on Instagram. Then we curse them all as they scratch our walls, spray our dogs and dig up our flower beds.
Clashes between Toronto’s human and wild residents have long existed, but lately it seems as if the critters are getting more numerous. With climate change moving animals toward us, and urban sprawl moving us toward them, experts suggest the best thing we can do is learn to get along.
The science The city has no official critter count. The most recent data for raccoons dates to the 1980s and suggests there are between seven and 12 per square kilometre and as many as 100 in some areas.
“Anecdotally, it makes sense that wild populations probably are growing, just because the human populations in the city are growing,” says Mary Lou Leiher, program manager of Toronto Animal Services, which responds to calls about sick, injured or distressed animals but not wildlife conflict. “As we get more numerous we’re providing them with more shelter and food.”
When Brad Gates started his wildlife removal business 31 years ago, the average litter size of raccoons, squirrels and skunks was three or four. Today, it’s six and seven, says the founder of AAA Gates’ Wildlife Control. When it comes to raccoons, he suspects the city is unique.
“I’ve often heard of Toronto being referred to as the raccoon capital of North America,” he says, adding the number of wildlife removal companies in other cities pales by comparison.
The introduction of the green bin program, he says, has allowed them to breed at a faster rate.
The city’s plan The days of feasting at the bin may be numbered. In April, Mayor John Tory announced that in the city’s “fight against the raccoon nation” the bins will be replaced, beginning next spring, with ones that are “raccoon-proof.”
And this fall a new working group at city hall is starting work on a citywide strategy for mitigating negative interactions between humans and wildlife.
The Inter-Divisional Working Group on Urban Wildlife will consider emerging practices in wildlife management, increasing public awareness about conflict prevention and amending bylaws, such as banning the feeding of wildlife on private property and of pigeons in public spaces. According to city staff report, getting humans to change their behaviour is a more cost-effective and long-term solution than implementing culls or sterilization programs.
“Wildlife conflict has always been an issue,” says Leiher, who is part of the working group, which is expected to report to Licensing and Standards Committee in mid- to late-2016. “Now we’re just ramping up those (public education) efforts.”
Nathalie Karvonen, executive director of the Toronto Wildlife Centre, a charitable wildlife rescue organization, welcomes the group’s creation. Often, when people get frustrated or angry with wildlife it’s not the animal’s fault, she says. Instead, the problem can usually be resolved with a pretty easy change in human behaviour.
Karvonen suspects that some solutions the group comes up with will be unpopular with some. Possible solutions, she says, could include keeping cats indoors, locking green bins in a shed until the morning of pickup and banning the feeding of wildlife.
There are things people can do to minimize conflict with their furry neighbours: Ensure your property is in good repair and garbage is wellmanaged and don’t leave pet food outside or feed wildlife. Weapons of warfare Squirrels: Squirrels and raccoons are great climbers so minimize access to the roof by trimming trees, cutting vines and removing old TV antennas, Gates says. Also, cap chimneys, fix broken shingles and screen roof soffits and vents. He says roof maintenance is key, otherwise water can weaken it, enabling animals to gain entry. And because downspouts act as a ladder, he suggests lubricating them with K-Y Jelly, which is preferable to Vaseline because it’s water-soluble. Raccoons: To keep raccoons away, it’s important that people manage their garbage and green bins properly, says Leiher of TAS. “That means putting it out the morning of and not the night before,” she says. “Between pickups, it needs to be stored in some sort of locked, wildlife-proof shed or garbage box.”
If raccoons are in your home, try evicting them with ammonia-soaked rags, all-talk radio and a bright light — be very careful of using lights in the attic because it can be a fire hazard. And you’ll need to resolve how they are getting in. To keep raccoons and skunks from tearing up your lawn in search of grubs, Gates suggests applying nematodes, which are microscopic parasitic worms that feed on grubs. Foxes: People love bird feeders in their yard, but they also attract squirrels, which can in turn draw foxes and coyotes looking for a meal, Gates says. To deter foxes and coyotes from burrowing beneath porches, decks or sheds to create a den, wildlife removal operators dig a 25-centimetre trench next to the structure and install galvanized screening on an Lshaped angle, Gates says. If a den already exists, he suggests evicting them with a one-way door — this is only done if the babies are big enough to come out. The TAS website also suggests using talk radio, leaving dog hair at the site and urinesoaked rags. Coyotes: Don’t compost meat products or keep poultry or livestock near your home, warns the TAS. And be mindful of overflowing garbage that attracts mice and rats, which coyotes feast on. If you come across a coyote in a park, Gates says never run or turn your back on them because they’ll see you as prey, rather than a threat. Instead, make yourself as big as possible by putting your hands in the air or picking up a branch and slowly back away. Skunks: Because they’re great diggers, they often live beneath porches, sheds and decks.
Gates suggests keeping them out with an L-shaped screen that’s smaller than the one used for foxes and coyotes.
If evicting skunks, TAS suggests using all-talk radio, keeping the area well lit and sprinkling urine-soaked Kitty Litter around the den.
And because skunks are lousy climbers, they’ll need help if they fall into a window well. Use a board that acts as ramp.
Tales of tails The Star asked readers to share wildlife experiences and received about 200 submissions. Here is the story of Boomerang the skunk. See more stories online at thestar.com/living. This skunk got drunk Boomerang the skunk visited my Toronto Annex house’s garden nightly in August 2006. I dreaded him spraying my dog.
First, I sprinkled powdered pepper, on the flowers. It worked for two nights but Boomerang returned on the third, laughing at me.
Friends suggested using sweet wine to make Boomerang drunk, so he would avoid the location where he became sick. Because my husband and I didn’t like sweet wine, we had to choose between Sabra and Kahlua liqueurs. It was either serve the Sabra or shop for Manischewitz wine. Even if Boomerang was kosher, we preferred not to buy him his own bottle.
That night I watched Boomerang zigzagging. Success!
No, I’d underestimated him again. He slept it off, then returned, looking for more. The next morning, I was amazed to find Boomerang’s Sabra bowl three-quarters full.
I trained my dog to come, fetch and sit. And I trained my skunk to drink responsibly.
Submitted by Barbara Etlin