Twin Falls Seeks Help With Wild Critters

FARMINGTON — An area of Twin Falls subdivision in Farmington is having problems with wild “critters” and one resident appealed to the City Council last week for help.

Jill Toering addressed the Council on behalf of a neighbor who did not want to be identified. Toering said the neighborhood is having a problem with skunks, armadillos, opossums and groundhogs.

“We’re in a dilemma,” Toering said. “We don’t know what to do about it.”

Toering said some of the residents have purchased their own traps because the city only had a

few available to give out.

Public works director Floyd Shelley said the city’s policy is that when residents use their own traps, it is their responsibility to remove the animal. In this case, Shelley said, the city is willing to help out and pick up trapped animals since it appears there may be a problem in the neighborhood.

The next day, Shelley said he had not heard about a lot of problems with varmints in Twin Falls subdivision. He said Twins Falls probably is not having more problems than other neighborhoods but if the residents are concerned, the city wants to help them.

The city usually releases wild animals it traps in either an area near Kessler Mountain or west of town along Goose Creek.

“We try to get them back to a natural habitat,” Shelley said.

Hugh Lumpkin, private lands biologist with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said the organization receives many calls about critters.

“We’ve developed these new developments and skunks, possums and coons are pushed out into new areas,” Lumpkin said. “They are going to travel around and take up residence in new places.”

One section of Twin Falls is adjacent to a large, grassy pasture area. Lumpkin said a field like this will have groundhogs and skunk burrows and the animals are going to be around the area. Armadillos will come in and root for grubs.

Lumpkin said residents should make sure a food source, especially dog and cat food, is not around to attract the animals. Garbage cans need to be secured with a lid.

The Game and Fish Commission does not respond to nuisance calls and does not conduct nuisance trappings, Lumpkin said.

“We don’t have the time for that,” Lumpkin said

The commission has a list of private companies that will trap animals for residents. To get this information, call the Commission at 1-800-364-4263.

COURTESY PHOTO Twin Falls Subdivision has had problems with opossums and other critters, according to one resident. National Geographic website says opossums often raid garbage cans, dumpsters and other containers. They will hunt mice, birds, insects, worms, snakes and even chickens.