Thousands
of wild animals live quite well within cities the size of Ames
Iowa. Yet residents are often surprised when encountering one. When
it comes to urban wildlife in Ames, you can relax.
Some of Ames wildlife is migratory or nomadic, some seemingly hibernate, others are easy to spot and many are nocturnal or reclusive. Most will emerge in the springtime hungry, active and ready to give birth to add to the circle of life.
It’s a continuum that local experts advise some tolerance for. No tolerance for wildlife will make for unhappy residents, because they’re here to stay. Common fears of attacks simply don’t materialize if the rule of “Wild and Free, Let it be” is applied. More dogs and cats attack or bite humans and wildlife than the other way around.
Common Ames species are raccoon, opossum, woodchuck, rabbits, bats, squirrels, fox, ground squirrels, moles, snakes, deer and tens of thousands of birds. There are important distinctions between urban wildlife and nuisance wildlife. And though true that co-habitation occurs without incident in city environments, the occasional marauding wildlife conflict can occur. Homeowners take heart, there are some effective methods that can help when wildlife are damaging landscape, entering attics, or acting in suspicious ways due to health issues.
If wildlife is entering your home or is sick and exposed, injured and too approachable, call Animal Control. An established garden center will be able to help with lawn, deck, patio, trees and plantings questions. Some private pest control services can be used by residents in certain cases as well. But first be certain you’re not attracting the wrong activity by your planting, feeding, watering and landscaping habits.
Often the best solutions come from personal research and information gathering. The following website is an excellent choice to further help understand and balance the habitation needs of humans and wildlife in Ames. www.extension.iastate.edu/wildlife
View our other Wildlife in Ames page.