Wild Times

Many animals have found out that life doesn’t get much better than in a suburban area, says Mike Conover, wildlife scientist at USU’s Berryman Institute and author of Resolving Human-Wildlife Conflicts. There are large populations of squirrels, rabbits, opossums and woodchucks in the suburbs, as well as red fox and coyotes to feed on them, where two decades ago, we didn’t, he says. The fact that suburbs are relentlessly expanding into countryside teeming with wildlife tells part of the story. When the creatures come sniffing around, keep them moving by keeping the yard and house free from debris and the house in repair, he says.

From, “Home Invaders,” by Jim Gorman, Popular Mechanics, Nov. 2006. For more information contact Mike Conover [conover@cc.usu.edu], wildlife scientist at USU’s Berryman Institute, 435-797-2436.