Rabid Raccoon In Ohio County

Police officer ran over animal with cruiser intentionally

A police officer in Ohio was under investigation last month for an incident involving a possible rabid raccoon. A video emerged showing the officer running over the raccoon with his police cruiser intentionally. The officer made a judgment call, officials said, running over the animal instead of shooting it. The video also shows the cruiser coming back a second time to run the animal over again.

The local residents are calling for some sort of action to be taken against the officer as it was seen as inhumane and not his place to take the animal out. The Shelby Police Department will use the incident as an opportunity for the department to grow and learn, said thew police chief.

For information on rabid raccoon removal, visit Critter Detective.

Police officer under investigation for euthanizing raccoon with vehicle

An investigation into possible wrong-doing has been opened at an Ohio police department after social media video shows an officer running over a raccoon in a police cruiser.

The Shelby Police Department said the incident is under investigation and vehicles will not be used to euthanize animals, effective immediately.

Video of the encounter is reportedly going around social media. Learn more

Summary: A police officer in Ohio was under investigation last month for an incident involving a possible rabid raccoon. Some are calling for the police officer to be fired for this "inhumane act."

Police chief says department will learn, change following raccoon incident

The Shelby Police Department will use the destruction of a raccoon as an opportunity for the department to grow and learn, Chief Lance Combs said at a mid-day press conference Friday.

A video recorded by a private citizen began floating around social media, showing a Shelby police officer driving his vehicle over an injured or potentially rabid raccoon. Read more

Summary: The police department where an officer ran over a rabid raccoon with his police cruiser is using the incident as a learning experience. Videos circulated showing the incident causing some concern amongst citizens.

 

Read More Here: Rabid Raccoon In Ohio County

source https://critterdetective.com/rabid-raccoon-in-ohio-county/

Living With Urban Coyotes

City attempts to calm fears of residents

Over the last few months, there have been increased sightings of coyotes in Hamilton County. Earlier this year, the Great Parks organization made it their mission to educate residents about the furry creatures. They put on a presentation called "How to Coexist with Urban Coyotes." The presentation went over the behavior and habits of coyotes in an effort to debunk myths and minimize public concern. Nature interpreters detailed ways people can coexist with these predators so that their presence benefits the ecosystem instead of causing issues with humans.

County officials were trying to calm fears of local residents through this initiative, stating that coyotes do not want to be around people just as much as we don't want them around. Although coyotes are noted as the top predator in the state of Ohio, they are reminding people that there are a few easy ways to minimize the risk to their pets and to their homes ands yards.

For information on safe coyote removal, visit Critter Detective.

Myths and misconceptions about urban coyotes

Increased coyote sightings throughout Hamilton County and a rising mixture of concern and curiosity inspired Great Parks' presentation called “How to Coexist with Urban Coyotes.”

Great Parks nature interpreters will present information and answer questions in four parks through the month of February, just in time for the coyote breeding season.

The presentations outline the behavior and habits of coyotes in an effort to debunk myths and ideally minimize public concern. Read more

Summary: Over the last few months, there have been increased sightings of coyotes in Hamilton County. Earlier this year, the Great Parks organization made it their mission to educate residents about the furry creatures.

How To Coexist With Urban Coyotes

When coyotes start howling, their cacophonous calls may sound alarming to some people. However, the sporadic-sounding yelps are generally just canine chitchat.

The park district is on a mission to inform people coyotes aren't the threat some may believe.

"They don't want to be around people. They don't want to be in close proximity to people. Their natural instinct is to stay as far away from us as possible," Marczi says.

Coyotes are considered the top predator in Ohio, and they fall into what Marczi calls a "golden window" where they're just the right size to prey on smaller animals and some bigger animals like sick or injured deer. Learn more

Summary: Coyote sightings in urban areas have increased over the past year. Officials have been attempting to calm concerns of local residents.

Read More Here: Living With Urban Coyotes

source https://critterdetective.com/living-with-urban-coyotes/

Endangered Species In Ohio

Protecting the states most vulnerable

A bill that is advancing in Congress this week could help Ohio's endangered species. The Recovering America's Wildlife Act would provide more than $1.3 billion a year to implement federally approved wildlife conservation efforts. Ohio's portion of the bill could be up to $28 million per year. This would go to help protect a plethora of endangered species in the state, including the Indiana Bat, which plays an important role in our environment.

The Indiana Bat has been listed as endangered since 1967 across the United States. Like other little brown bats, Indiana bats migrate to caves in southern Ohio and neighboring states to hibernate. These bats are nocturnal and only feed one or two hours before or after sunset. They are important to our ecosystem as they help control pests by feeding on various bugs.

For information on bat removal, visit Critter Detective.

Bill Would Provide $28 Million to Protect Ohio's Endangered Species

More than a third of America's fish and wildlife species are at increased risk of extinction, but a bill advancing in Congress this week could help.

The Recovering America's Wildlife Act is scheduled for markup in the House Natural Resources Committee Thursday.

Ohio's portion of the fund would be approximately $28 million each year.

There are 94 species listed as endangered in the Buckeye State, including the black bear, Indiana bat and Allegheny woodrat. Read more

Summary: A bill that is advancing in Congress this week could help Ohio's endangered species. The Recovering America's Wildlife Act would provide more than $1.3 billion a year to help protect wild animals.

There are 94 species listed as endangered in the Buckeye State, including the black bear, Indiana bat and Allegheny woodrat. But Congress is considering a bill that could help. https://t.co/fbTPvl3Wxs

— Cincinnati CityBeat (@CityBeatCincy) December 5, 2019

Indiana Bat Information

The Indiana bat has been listed federally under the Endangered Species Act since 1967. They have been declining over the years due to reductions in available habitat. It was not until 1974 that the first maternity colony was discovered in Indiana.

Like little brown bats (to which they bear a close resemblance), Indiana bats migrate to caves in southern Ohio and neighboring states to hibernate. Learn more

Summary: The Indiana Bat has been listed as endangered since 1967 across the United States. Like other little brown bats, Indiana bats migrate to caves in southern Ohio and neighboring states to hibernate.

Learn More Here: Endangered Species In Ohio

source https://critterdetective.com/endangered-species-in-ohio/

Mating Season Is Starting Early For Skunks

Milder temps and no snow to blame

In Ohio, mating season for skunks usually begins in the month of February. However, officials have been getting more and more calls about active skunks in the state, about two weeks earlier than normal. This is likely due to the lack of snowfall and the warmer temperatures that have hung around for longer than is typical for the midwest. Residents have complained about smelling skunks more frequently and seeing them more often than they have in the last few months. If locals have a skunk in their yards, they can call the ODNR for help removing the animal.

An Ohio Wildlife council has received numerous proposals to make changes to hunting seasons in the state. The proposals were primarily for small game and bird hunting. However, part of the proposal included requiring a fur taker permit for coyote hunting and adding the animal to the list of species that can be hunted during the furbearer trapping season. Coyote sightings have increased in the last few years in many places across the United States.

For information on skunk removal, visit Critter Detective.

Why skunk mating season is early this year

You can blame no snow and milder temperatures for skunks being more active.

“Since we’ve been uncommonly warm, they come out more and not so much see them, but you smell them,” said Matthew Hunt, a state wildlife officer with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Although the skunk mating season doesn’t officially start for another two weeks, the ODNR already is seeing an uptick in calls about them across the Miami Valley. Read more

Summary: In Ohio, mating season for skunks usually begins in the month of February. However, officials have been getting more and more calls about active skunks in the state, about two weeks earlier than normal.

Ohio Wildlife Council receives small game hunting season proposals

Proposed small game and migratory bird hunting seasons that begin in the fall of 2020 were presented to the Ohio Wildlife Council on Wednesday, Jan. 15, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Included among the proposals are several changes recommended to increase hunting opportunities for those who enjoy spending time in Ohio’s great outdoors.

New proposals also include requiring a fur taker permit for coyote hunting and trapping, and adding coyote to the furbearer trapping season. Learn more

Summary: An Ohio Wildlife council has received numerous proposals to make changes to hunting seasons in the state. The proposals were primarily for small game and bird hunting.

 

 

Original Website Here: Mating Season Is Starting Early For Skunks

source https://critterdetective.com/mating-season-is-starting-early-for-skunks/

Ohio State Reports On Vampire Bats

The little creatures may make lifelong bonds

Vampire bats were the center of a study recently in which they were observed in captivity for an extended period of time. The lead co-author of the study is an Ohio State assistant professor. The study found that the vampire bats formed social bonds during captivity that they then maintained once they were released back into the wild. Vampire bat "friendship" is unusual in that individuals pay a cost to help others: They regurgitate food, their ingested blood meals, to feed non-relatives.

For a long time, dogs and dog bites were the primary suspect when a human contracted the rabies virus. However, thanks to a large-scale vaccination campaign started in 1947, deaths from rabies transmitted from dogs have plummeted. A few Americans still get rabies each year and the disease is more likely to come from wild animals, especially bats. In 2015, CDC noticed that in the United States, bats were surpassing raccoons among animals that tested positive for rabies.

For more information on bats and removal, visit Critter Detective.

Vampire bats give a little help to “friends”

In a new study, scientists documented vampire bats developing social bonds during captivity that they maintained once they returned to the wild – a sign that the relationships weren’t borne only of convenience while they lived together in a cage.

Vampire bat cooperation is rare in that individuals pay a cost to help others: They regurgitate food, their ingested blood meals, to feed non-relatives.

“What’s quite common in animal cooperation is doing something where we both benefit simultaneously: Let’s live together, let’s hunt together. I’m benefiting, you’re benefiting,” said the study’s co-lead author Gerald Carter, assistant professor of evolution, ecology and organismal biology at The Ohio State University. via Ohio State News

Summary: Vampire bats were the center of a study recently in which they were observed in captivity for an extended period of time. The lead co-author of the study is an Ohio State assistant professor.

Vampire bats cooperate in some ways that are similar to humans, and new @OhioState research shows they form friendship-like social bonds in captivity that continue in the wild. #SpookySZN | @OhioStateNews https://t.co/bgDGH1dlAc

— Ohio State News (@OhioStateNews) October 31, 2019

Bats now the primary source of U.S. rabies deaths

For centuries, dog bites had been a leading source of transmitting the rabies virus. Starting in 1947, though, that began to change as the United States launched a massive campaign to have pet owners vaccinate their dogs. Since then, human rabies deaths due to dog bites and scratches have nosedived. A few Americans still get rabies each year. But these cases are now more likely to come from wild animals, a new study finds — especially bats. Read more

Summary: A few Americans still get rabies each year and the disease is more likely to come from wild animals, especially bats. The primary culprit before a massive vaccination campaign in 1947 was dogs.

More Information Here: Ohio State Reports On Vampire Bats

source https://critterdetective.com/ohio-state-reports-on-vampire-bats/

Are Coyotes Something We Should Fear?

Biologists weigh in on recent encounters

After a string of recent coyote sightings and encounters, Ohio residents have growing concern about the dangers that these animals pose. Coyotes can be found in all 88 counties in the state and can be seen in both rural and urban areas. Biologists stresses that coyotes are usually more afraid of people than we are of them and grow to be about the same size as a medium sized dog. They usually weigh about 30 to 50 pounds and grow to be about two feet tall.

An Ohio couple got a surprise intruder recently in the form of a curious squirrel. The squirrel had gained access into their home and wreaked havoc on their kitchen and other parts of their home. Squirrels typically gain access to homes via open chimneys, small openings underneath the home, or sometimes via windows or doors that are left open. The couple was able to guide the squirrel out by making a pathway towards the door where it was captured and relocated.

For information on animal cleanup and repair, check out Critter Detective.

Are coyotes something to be afraid of? Biologist weighs in on their role in ecosystem

After a coyote attack in Columbus, we wondered how worried we should be about these animals.

On Friday, Columbus police released body camera video from a coyote attack along Interstate 70 Thursday night. The officer was checking on a stranded driver when the coyote bit him.

Coyotes are found in all 88 counties in Ohio. Biologist Allen Lea said you’ll see them in rural and urban areas. Even if you don’t see coyotes, chances are, you’ll hear them. Read more

Summary: After a string of recent coyote sightings and encounters, Ohio residents have growing concern about the dangers that these animals pose. Coyotes can be found in all 88 counties in the state.

‘Squirrely’ suspect released into the wild after breaking into home

A Forest Park couple is still in shock after a “squirrely” suspect broke into their home and left behind a bit of a mess.

Garrett McNabb and Dawn Krueger say things got a bit “nutty” at their house on Wednesday night. Krueger got home from work around 6 p.m. and heard some loud noises. “It’s a squirrel!" Krueger yelled. "Like, we’ve got a squirrel in our house!”

Minutes later, McNabb got home. At that point, the bandit had ducked down into a hiding place behind the kitchen cabinets. See more

Summary: An Ohio couple got a surprise intruder recently in the form of a curious squirrel. The squirrel had gained access into their home and wreaked havoc on their kitchen.

Original Website Here: Are Coyotes Something We Should Fear?

source https://critterdetective.com/are-coyotes-something-we-should-fear/

Winter Weather Brings Unwanted Home Intruders

How to keep wildlife from invading your space

As temperatures drop for the winter months, various species of wildlife will be looking for a place to seek shelter. They can cause unwanted problems if allowed to nest in your home. Raccoons, opossums, squirrels and bats have all become nuisances during the colder months of the year. They find easy entry into homes, garages or sheds and if you live in a rural area or your home is near woodlands or a park, you have a higher risk of encountering nuisance wildlife. There are plenty of steps you can take to reduce the risk that animals will set up camp in your territory.

Another cause for concern is the continued growth of the raccoon population in Ohio and the possibility of more disease-ridden animals because of it. The Ohio Department of Wildlife believes raccoons have become more tolerant of people as we encroach further into their habitat. This has forced the animals to find shelter in places like under porches and homes and in sheds and attics.

Curious about how to control raccoons? Visit Critter Detective.

Control wildlife to prevent home damage

As winter quickly approaches, there is a variety of wildlife looking for a warm place to wait out the cold. The same creatures we consider cute and cuddly during the spring can become a nightmare if they nest in our home in the winter.

Rodents are one of the most common types of nuisance wildlife we encounter in our homes during the Ohio winter. As we continue to encroach on their natural habitat a larger group of wildlife has quickly become a problem. Raccoon, opossum, squirrel and bats have all become uninvited winter residents that found easy entry into a home, garage or shed. The damage these types of wildlife can do to your home can be expensive to repair.

See more...

Summary: Raccoons, opossums, squirrels and bats have all become nuisances during the colder months of the year. They find easy entry into homes, garages or sheds and if you live in a rural area, you have a higher risk of encountering nuisance wildlife.

The raccoons that Geri Clever and her family started feeding? They got used to that arrangement and eventually started entering her home. https://t.co/J03LBBEGKO

— CBC Archives (@cbc_archives) September 10, 2019

Rabies concerns increase as raccoon population grows

The population of raccoons in the urban and suburban areas of Cuyahoga and Summit Counties seem to be increasing and along with that comes growing concerns about the diseases the animals can transmit.

Nuisance trappers across Summit County say they are very busy keeping up with calls to remove raccoons from homes.

The department believes raccoons have become more tolerant of human beings as construction continues to eliminate some of their natural habitat and forces them to live under porches, under homes, in attics and in sheds. Read more

Summary: The raccoon population in Ohio has continued to grow causing concern for the possibility of more disease-ridden animals in the area. The Ohio Department of Wildlife believes raccoons have become more tolerant of people as we encroach further into their habitat.

Learn More Here: Winter Weather Brings Unwanted Home Intruders

source https://critterdetective.com/winter-weather-brings-unwanted-home-intruders/