Vast areas of wilderness surround Nakusp. This means bears, coyotes, cougars, wolves, and rodents frequent us. Residents and Visitors alike do a lot to keep our wildlife outside of the Village by doing the following:
- Store garbage indoors until the morning of garbage pickup
- Keep garbage bags in a closed container on garbage day to keep the crows out!
- Clean up any dropped fruit from trees
- Keep small pets under control and indoors
- Clean up debris from bird feeders regularly and put them away during bear season.
How we manage our living and recreational space has a great deal of influence on the amount of human-wildlife conflict we experience. WildSafeBC provides a wide range of services to assist citizens in their pursuit to minimize wildlife conflict in urbanized areas.
The Village of Nakusp partners with WildSafeBC to provide residents with education, tools and tips to help prevent conflict with wildlife.
Rodents
Sadly, rats and mice can be a problem in Nakusp. There are two types of rats in BC: the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the roof rat (Rattus rattus). Rats are prolific breeders; a pair of rats could theoretically produce over 900 offspring within a year. Rats are not a species that the Conservation Officer Service deals with. Contact a local, reputable pest control agent if you need assistance removing rats. If trapping rats, avoid using techniques that cause undue suffering or poisons that can be dangerous to pets, children and other wildlife.
Managing Attractants
Rats cannot survive without food, water and shelter. Combating rats is a community effort, starting with managing attractants by reducing shelter opportunities and food and water sources. Here are a few tips from WildSafeBC:
- Keep all garbage secured and stored until the day of collection. The secure container should be cleaned regularly.
- Feed pets indoors, or if you feed your pets outdoors, bring uneaten food back inside. Rats will quickly target any pet food left out.
- Clean up all fallen fruits and nuts from trees.
- Rats love bird seeds - clean up regularly.
Remove Cover and Shelter
- Remove unnecessary wood piles, heavy brush, unused sheds or equipment.
- Prune overhead branches that might provide access to your balcony, roof and attic.
- Repair cracks in foundations or footings.
- Abandoned vehicles make excellent homes for rodents and are not to be stored on private properties or boulevards.
- More tips on reducing attractants.
Check out a recorded workshop from Wildsight Revelstoke.