Not today, Trash Panda

[Chickassan]

Whoa...
I know you did not just use logic on a Monday.

My question on this is how does anyone know?

I’ve read on this site 33.33337 times that relocating a critter results in that critter starving or being killed by already present critters, etc....

I’ve read the same on various DNR web sites and literature also...

...but never with any reference to a study that actually tracked relocated critters extensively, etc...

...the studies I have found on the subject are limited and not real conclusive either way...

...and now your trapper friend says the opposite and I think “how could he know?” ...

... I’ve trapped for years and couldn’t know this unless I was marking and relocating a large number of critters in an effort to document relocated survival rates specifically ... and I assure you trapping is enough work as is, that I’m no doing that....

The reality is it most likely works out both ways, sometimes the relocated critter does fine, sometimes it is met with competition for resources and ends up not making it...

Anyone who states that it is one way or another is either doing some serious field work and truly knows ... or is repeating something that they’ve been told or that they read... without giving it much thought.

But there is a lot of this kind of “unearned knowledge” passed around on BYC ... things people “know” because they read it... but have no actual “earned knowledge” based on experience...

I don’t believe your trapper friend could truly know one way or the other... anymore than those stating the opposite could truly know....

And to be clear I’m not commenting on what is right or wrong one way or the other... I’m just commenting on the idea that anyone truly knows the survival rate of released raccoons....

... my best guess would be that rate ranges from about 10% to 90% depending on region, season, specific local population densities, specific local resources, specific local communicable disease presence, and eleven other variables.

Old Ma’ Nature simply doesn’t work in absolutes near as often as our simple brains like to think she does

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Whoa...
I know you did not just use logic on a Monday.

I didn’t mean to... I tripped on the rug and it sorta just happened

 

[itsasmallfarm]

please don't relocate, your just giving your problem to some one else and/or spreading possible disease from one area to the next.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

My question on this is how does anyone know?

I’ve read on this site 33.33337 times that relocating a critter results in that critter starving or being killed by already present critters, etc....

I’ve read the same on various DNR web sites and literature also...

...but never with any reference to a study that actually tracked relocated critters extensively, etc...

...the studies I have found on the subject are limited and not real conclusive either way...

...and now your trapper friend says the opposite and I think “how could he know?” ...

... I’ve trapped for years and couldn’t know this unless I was marking and relocating a large number of critters in an effort to document relocated survival rates specifically ... and I assure you trapping is enough work as is, that I’m no doing that....

The reality is it most likely works out both ways, sometimes the relocated critter does fine, sometimes it is met with competition for resources and ends up not making it...

Anyone who states that it is one way or another is either doing some serious field work and truly knows ... or is repeating something that they’ve been told or that they read... without giving it much thought.

But there is a lot of this kind of “unearned knowledge” passed around on BYC ... things people “know” because they read it... but have no actual “earned knowledge” based on experience...

I don’t believe your trapper friend could truly know one way or the other... anymore than those stating the opposite could truly know....

And to be clear I’m not commenting on what is right or wrong one way or the other... I’m just commenting on the idea that anyone truly knows the survival rate of released raccoons....

... my best guess would be that rate ranges from about 10% to 90% depending on region, season, specific local population densities, specific local resources, specific local communicable disease presence, and eleven other variables.

Old Ma’ Nature simply doesn’t work in absolutes near as often as our simple brains like to think she does

lots of places it also deals with disease, i know a lot places here prohibit bringing in the spine and brains of big game that can harbor CWD from another country or province

not sure the survival rate but just saying one coon might be carrying something and spread it to another raccoon and then you might have an outbreak or say rabies and other nasty things like that.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

lots of places it also deals with disease, i know a lot places here prohibit bringing in the spine and brains of big game that can harbor CWD from another country or province

not sure the survival rate but just saying one coon might be carrying something and spread it to another raccoon and then you might have an outbreak or say rabies and other nasty things like that.

I was not commenting on the spread of disease... just on the often repeated idea that a relocated critter can not survive in a new location.... or conversely that it will always adapt.

 

[Folly's place]

IMO, for what it's worth, relocation is a bad idea because of disease transmission issues. That's number one, regardless of survival odds for relocated critters or local animals who are threatened by the new ones.
The whole rabies epidemic (whatever you want to call it) on the east coast occurred because of critters being transported to a new location. It turned out very badly.
Here in Michigan, wild animals of several species can be relocated on your same property, or on private land within the same county, with land owner permission. Neither choice will actually help very much; that raccoon or fox, if it lives, will get back home again, and is unlikely to get into the same trap ever again. And it still loves chicken!
Mary

 

[123RedBeard]

My question on this is how does anyone know?

Study of squirrels have been done ...

https://totalwildlifecontrol.com/resources/animal-relocation-studies/suburban-squirrels/

https://www.researchgate.net/public...of_translocated_urban-suburban_grey_squirrels

 

[123RedBeard]

Then of course ...

For those that believe that they are "saving the animals life" ... by relocating ... atleast around this time of year ... wild critters are trying to raise their young ...

So you take momma or poppa critter 10 miles away ... if they don't get killed by other critters ... they have lots of roads to cross trying to desperately get back to their babies ... cars and trucks kill many hungry, thirst desperately trying to get back critters ...

Then of course ...

What about the young ones left behind??? They are not trained, or capable of finding their of food, or fending for them self ... just how kindly of a death do you think they suffer?

Sure ... if you kill the momma or poppa, baby has no one to look after it ... at this time of year, they will be mobile enough to find your trap ... send to the same garden plot you sent their ancestors!

Oh ... and of course ... if you have an electric fence ... most won't be a threat to your chickens anyways!

No such thing as "free eggs" build a good coop, and better fence, ALL the way around it!

 

[Cyprus]

Anything that gets into my live traps that isn't my own animals does not make it out alive. Even stray cats. Ask the cat, multiple groundhogs and 10's of possums I've caught.

I set my traps right outside my run fence. Anything that close to begin with is too close to live any longer.

 

[Chickassan]

These squirrels were taken from urban/suburban locations and relocated to a forest.
They had people and easy food, likely so did their parent, grandparents etc they never learned how to squirrel properly.
No surprise they died with no easy food.
What a bunch of rigged, lopsided research.

Study of squirrels have been done ...

https://totalwildlifecontrol.com/resources/animal-relocation-studies/suburban-squirrels/

https://www.researchgate.net/public...of_translocated_urban-suburban_grey_squirrels