If you need a professional wildlife trapper in Oklahoma City, OK call The Critter Evictor: 405-422-3884
Racoons, Squirrels, Opossum, Snakes, Rats and other not so desired wildlife!
They service the Oklahoma City region, including the towns of Piedmont, Edmond, Th Village, Yukon, Bethany, Choctaw, Midwest City, Del City, Moore, Mustang, Norman, Newcastle, and more. We are a full service company we take care of Pest Control, Termite Control and Animal Removal. We service the Oklahoma City Metro area and westward to Weatherford, North to Enid, and South to Chickasha. Alton Thornhill owner of The Critter Evictor has 18 yrs. of experience in the Pest Control Industry.
Do you have an wild animal that you have found and needs help but you dont want to harm it? Contact our friends at WildCare Foundation. They can help!
Phone: (405) 872-9338
WildCare tries to release animals back to their home territories, but certain situations call for them to be relocated. This is where the release site program comes into play. (Watch video of foxes being released - QuickTime format).
In the past year, WildCare has released 10 hawks, 8 owls, 93 fox squirrels, 31 opossums, 24 skunks, 11 raccoons, 8 foxes, 4 bobcats, 63 ducks, 21 geese and 2 yellow-crowned night herons " all on properties that are a part of the wildlife release site program.
Each wildlife species has its own unique habitat requirements that must be met in order for it to survive after release. Many animals simply need a place to get started, with suitable cover and resources where they can readjust to the life in the wild before dispersing. Others need an area to call home, where they can establish a territory and become a functioning member of the local community. In either case, your property may help fulfill this need.
Through the generosity of caring individuals we can ensure that all released animals will have the best possible chance for survival.
http://www.wildcareoklahoma.org/release_program.html
| Oklahoma is home to an incredibly diverse array of native wildlife species, including 352 birds, 108 mammals, 171 fish, 81 reptiles, and 51 amphibians. The 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife Associated Recreation in Oklahoma revealed that in 2001 1.5 million Oklahoma residents and non-residents 16 years and older fished, hunted or wildlife watched in Oklahoma. That same year, state residents and non-residents spent nearly one billion dollars on wildlife-associated recreation in Oklahoma which in turn supported 24, 299 jobs in the state.
With 300 days of sunshine, 77,000 acres of parks, 78,578 miles of rivers and streams, 11, 611 miles of shoreline, four mountian ranges, and 10 distinct ecosystems - wildlife viewing and recreational opportunities abound in Oklahoma!
Simply put, Oklahoma's wildlife is important for the aesthetic, ecological, recreational and economical benefits we all enjoy.
Our primary goal is to protect Oklahoma's wildlife through conservation, education and advocacy. With that goal in mind, we are actively supporting the use of alternative energy sources, landowner conservation, habitat restoration and creation, eradicating invasive species, and protecting endangered species. We are also concerned with increasing access to public lands so that all Oklahomans have the opportunity to be involved in outdoor recreation. We encourage all Oklahomans to join us in our conservation efforts! |
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What you can do to attract Wildlife at home! |
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Attracting Birds-
Knowing your environment helps to attract birds. Evaluate your outdoor space in terms of sun, compass direction, height, and nearby plants. A balcony in the shade may need a small heater in wintertime to attract birds, while a patio in the sun may require frequent birdbath refillings. Nearby plants can be a draw for certain types of birds.
Identification- Knowing what birds are visiting -- or even what birds are in your area -- will help you provide the right kind of food or shelter.
Providing Water:
Quick Tip -Place your water feature far from any feeders, to avoid feed from falling into the water source.
Any water source you provide for wild birds should
- be emptied and refilled frequently
- cleaned periodically with a solution of one parts bleach to nine parts water
- be warmed in freezing temperatures with simple birdbath or water feature heaters
Providing Food:
Quick Tip- Hang tube shaped feed containing sunflower seeds.
Depending on the kind of bird you're attracting to your wildlife porch, you have many options. Birds eat seeds like sunflower, thistle, and millet, and they eat cracked corn and grains as well as nuts, fruit, even suet. Some even enjoy worms and insects. Hummingbirds and a few select others enjoy nectar. Feeding wild birds on your Wildlife Porch provides enjoyment and education for the human and several benefits for the bird, despite what myths you may have read or heard.
Feeding wild birds involves
- the type of bird feeder
- the kind of bird feed
- the bird species in your neighborhood
- keeping the feeder and your outdoor area clean
- restrictions imposed by your housing community or apartment complex
- considering container plants
Providing Shelter:
Shelters for wild birds include much more than a nesting place -- resting places from high winds, staging areas where the bird can eye a feeder for safety, a warm pocket out of the winter cold. These shelters, or roosts, can be man-made or be certain plants.
Roosts are special boxes, wicker baskets, or more. In addition to providing protection from elements and predators, they provide a sheltered place out of the wind and winter cold. Plants. Certain container plants in your outdoor area can provide cover for your visiting feathered friends. The birds will use such plants to check out feeders and to eye the area for safety. In addition, these plants can also provide food as well as some shelter from winter cold
Attracting Bats-
Bats are very helpful, eating mosquitos and other insects. Some bats are solitary, while others prefer small colonies. Most bats, like most wildlife, are healthy.
Urban Legend & Truth
Despite urban legend, bats typically do *not* carry disease and actually are very beneficial. Bats can eat up to their full weight in night-flying insects, and some species are critical in pollinating fruits and seeds.
Endangered
Despite the positive role bats play, over 40% of bats are now endangered or threatened due to destruction of habitat. If you'd like to encourage bats, check out your area. If conditions are right, you can mount a bat house.
Bat Houses
Perhaps the best way of attracting bats to your small outdoor area is a bat house. Bat houses come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
For best results with your Bat House,
identify a spot in or around your wildlife porch or small outdoor area that
- is at least 10' off the ground
- sheltered from the wind
- preferably faces south, southeast, or east
- is where you can nail a bat house to the wall, pole, tree, or other support
If you hang a bat house during fall or winter, your chances of attracting a bat are higher. If you are close to a wooded area, a body of water, or a diversity of habitat, your chances are also higher. You can mount the bat house on the side of a building or a pole, preferably at least 10' off the ground. The bat house can also be mounted to a limb of a large tree, although trees are not preferred. Make sure the house is sheltered from the wind, and the approach is not blocked by obstructions. Ideal orientations for a bat house are south, southeast, and east. This provides warmth in the morning and shade in the afternoon for any roosting bats. If your outdoor area faces west, you may have a harder time attracting bats. Don't expect a bat right away. The most common wait is a little over a year, although it can take up to 3 years. We recommend moving the bat house if you don't have occupants within 2 years. The bat house should be made of roughened wood or wood lined with plastic screening. If you live in a warm climate, the bat house should have ventilation slots about .5" wide. 1" board lumber is best for the sides, but .5" plywood can be used for all other sides. All seams of the bat house should be caulked. The best color of exterior paint for a bat house depends on your climate. Black paint is great in colder, northern climates, white paint is great in extremely warm climates, and different medium shades work in moderate climates. It's primarily a matter of temperature levels inside the bat house, but also a matter of preventing moisture and air leaks. |
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