Why Wildlife Exclusion Is Better Than Trapping: Humane Pest Control Methods

You must decide between exclusion and trapping in wildlife or pest management within your house. While both deal with pest problems, they do it in emphatically different ways. In light of growing awareness regarding ecological ethics, the exclusion method of wildlife control opted by Mama bear pest and Outdoor has become one of the ethical and sustainable forms of pest control compared to other trapping methods. 

This blog will delve into why exclusion might be better sometimes, using factual data and in-depth analysis.

Issues with Trapping

Ethical Concerns

Trapping wildlife is one of the effective methods of capturing and removing animals, but several ethical issues have to be looked at. Animals face significant stress and pain due to traps. According to Humane Society International, traps can lead to a very slow process of suffering, injury, or even death in non-target animals. 

Also, most of the traps are meant for catching the animals alive, yet they end up causing injuries to the animals that may lead to a lot of suffering if not treated on time. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, leg-hold traps maim the trapped animals with painful distress that sometimes leads to the amputation of limbs and at times death.

Lack of Effectiveness for Long-Term Solutions

Trapping works shortly as it seldom roots the cause of pests. The removal of a single animal does not prevent other animals from entering the same area. This is why wildlife control can be a problem that keeps occurring. 

The National Wildlife Research Center says as many as 75% of the homes experiencing wildlife intrusion are experiencing repeat infestations if exclusion methods are not implemented. This can impact the local ecosystem’s balance, as animals often have important roles in their ecosystems, from pest control regarding insects to seed distribution.

The Benefits of Wildlife Exclusion

Effectiveness for the Long Run

Wildlife exclusion is based on not having animals in your home or property to begin with. This sets the premise of generally sealing entry points and making the environment less attractive to pests. 

According to the NPMA, exclusion methods can reduce intrusions from wildlife by as much as 90% when exclusion methods are incorporated along with other methods of prevention. 

Since exclusion methods target the root problems that contribute to wildlife entering your property, it is a more permanent solution while minimizing the future potential for issues at hand.

Humane Approach

The first significant advantage of wildlife exclusion is that it is non-lethal. Instead of stressing the animals or causing them harm, exclusion practices prevention. According to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, exclusion protects the animals and humans; wildlife is allowed to remain undisturbed in their natural environment. This method also reduces any possibilities of potential harm to pets and children when handling trapped animals.

Environmental Impact

Exclusion is, by nature, less harmful to the environment when compared to trapping. By excluding wildlife from your home, you will not resort to chemical repellents or poisons. According to the EPA, many of these traditional pest controls, including traps and poisons, may lead to the secondary poisoning of non-target animals and disrupt food chains, harming wildlife in the process. 

Cost-Effectiveness

While the upfront cost of excluding wildlife is somewhat higher than the upfront cost of trapping, it may prove to be less expensive over time. This is because trapping usually requires a maintenance process and sometimes recurring processes as the wildlife continually invades your property. 

A study conducted by the University of California reported that, though exclusion techniques may be more expensive up front, they often mean fewer return visits and a lower overall cost. Indeed, paying for exclusion methods enables home and business owners to save money on an ongoing basis and achieve greater overall results.

How Wildlife Exclusion Works

Identifying Entry Points

First and foremost, wildlife exclusion works by locating and sealing potential entry points. Surprisingly, these creatures can be entered via small entry points too, but your task is to keep a check on these points. According to the NPMA, animals such as squirrels and raccoons can fit through an opening no larger than 1.5 inches in diameter. 

Making the Environment Less Appealing

Other key factors to consider, once entry points have been sealed, include making one’s property less inviting to the wildlife by removing food sources, securing garbage cans, and keeping trees and shrubs trimmed back from the home to eliminate potential access points. The NPMA highly recommends a clean and well-kept yard to help reduce the chances of wildlife infestation.

Physical Barriers Installation

Fencing and netting are just some of the physical barriers that you can install around exclusion areas. For instance, you can have chimney caps installed to keep birds or squirrels from roosting within your chimney. The Wildlife Conservation Society recounts that well-designed barriers can be highly effective at excluding a host of wildlife species, from raccoons to rodents.

Professional Wildlife Control Services

Although exclusion methods can be pretty effective, there are also professional services in wildlife control with expertise and advanced solutions for complex cases. The certified wildlife control experts are trained to handle various species and can offer complete services of exclusion. They have special tools and techniques to make sure your home is adequately sealed. NWCOA says, “Professional services allow raising the effectiveness of exclusion methods and offer a guarantee of psychological comfort to the homeowners.”.

Conclusion

Exclusion methods of wildlife management are more humane and less harmful to the environment than trapping methods. Since exclusion methods solve the roots of intrusion, they usually offer long-term solutions and minimize the harm inflicted on animals, thereby reduces the chances of re-infestation. While trapping may afford a temporary solution in most cases, it solves nothing and usually puts undue stress on the animals. Investing in wildlife exclusion is not only an ethical concern but also an effective and eco-friendly solution for people who want to keep their living space safe and comfortable.

Moreover, it will also be necessary to understand the benefits that are associated with exclusion over trapping, hence householders will make intelligent choices when it deals with pest control. This is why Mama bear pest and Outdoor use humane and preventive measures, that can easily be a peaceful coexistence of man with the wildlife while protecting the homes and communities.