Public regards wildlife as pests

The public increasingly is becoming less tolerant of growing wildlife populations, asserts a nationwide survey of fish and wildlife agencies. As the number of species such as bear and deer continue to expand and contact with humans becomes more frequent, people are beginning to view wildlife as pests. According to the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA), 75.7% of state agencies reported they feel the public is becoming fed up with the burgeoning presence of wild animals.

"This is an unsettling statistic showing that people may be losing respect for wildlife," worries John Baughman, executive vice president of IAFWA. "It is important for people to maintain a mix of reverence, respect, and wonder for wildlife."

Wildlife professionals stress that being able to use management techniques--including hunting and trapping--helps maintain a balance between the numbers of people and animals. State agencies point out that the greatest increases in deer populations are where hunting is not allowed or access to land is limited, such as urban and suburban communities.

"It is our experience that sometimes hunting and trapping are the best methods for conserving and managing our nation's wildlife resources," contends Bob Carmichael of Manitoba Natural Resources in Canada and chairman of the committee that developed the report, "Bears in the Backyard, Deer in the Driveway 2004." However, these methods have been threatened by legislation in some states. Yet, without them, economic damage caused by wildlife could soar from $22,000,000,000 to $70,000,000,000.

In addition, the report indicates that, as rapid development destroys habitat in many areas of the country, wildlife and humans are forced to interact more frequently, thus setting the stage for conflict as well as the spread of disease.

Some other findings:

* Bear complaints have increased 19%; personnel-hours to resolve these complaints have jumped 22%; and state agency expenditures to control bear damage have gone up 45%.

* Eighty-seven percent of all automobile accident injuries involving animals are from deer, causing over $1,000,000,000 in damage annually. Without regulated hunting, that number could reach $3,800,000,000.

* Beavers, woodchucks, and other species cause millions of dollars in damage each year to roads, bridges, dams, water drainage systems, and electrical utilities. Expenditures to address beaver damage over the past five years have risen 12%. Wildlife agencies report that, without regulated trapping, beaver populations could explode, skyrocketing an additional 102%.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Society for the Advancement of Education
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group