For most people most of the time, encountering a wild animal requires little more than remembering to let that animal have plenty of space so it doesn’t feel threatened and can go on its way.
But the growing number of people across the Upstate combined with habitat loss mean there is an increasing chance of human/animal conflict that can necessitate calling in a professional.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources offers a wealth of information on a variety of animals commonly involved in nuisance calls, along with tips people and property owners can follow to mitigate the circumstances that can lead to conflict.
For situations where an animal is damaging property or posing a threat to safety, SCDNR also maintains a list of wildlife control operators who are authorized to deal with nuisance animals.
Critter calls
Greer native Frank Lee was one of the first wildlife control operators to start a WCO business in the Upstate nearly 40 years ago. In the years since, the number of nuisance wildlife calls and the number of WCOs handling those calls have proliferated.
The reason is simple: there are more people and more animals living in close proximity. The animals are doing what their instincts compel them to do in order to survive – namely, adapt.
A lifelong hunter, trapper and animal lover, Lee said a good portion of his business, Animal Logic, involves educating property owners about the animals they are encountering. He said he explains that wild animals are part of the environment, regardless of where you live or work, and that the best solution is generally to accept that fact and learn to coexist.
But many times that’s not an option because the animals are causing property damage, posing a safety issue or sometimes both. For instance, Lee said nearly half of his business involves calls from people who have squirrels in their attics chewing through wires and insulation and causing other mischief.
Lee said such calls involve removing the animals, repairing the damage and ensuring all points of entry are sealed to prevent further animal intrusions.
Such work also often highlights a common quirk of human nature and people’s attitudes about animals. He said people whose homes and property are not being damaged often express concern about the welfare of the animals once they’ve been trapped.
But that same person may call him days or weeks or months later after experiencing a similar attic invasion and say, “I have squirrels in my attic and I want the damn things out of here.”
Lee said he’s heard similar words more than once, with the only variation being the type of animal causing the damage. In such situations, he said people are often past the point of caring about what happens to the animal once it has been removed.
Lethal lessons
Like Lee, Strad Helms of Simpsonville’s Southern Roots Wildlife Solutions gets calls involving all types of animals and is frequently asked what happens to the animals once they’ve been trapped.
The hard answer is many of those animals have to be euthanized. One of the primary reasons this is necessary is South Caroilina law prohibits relocating many of the types of animals involved in the most common nuisance calls.
Helms points to an animal he and other WCOs get a lot of calls about because their numbers have skyrocketed in recent years: groundhogs.
Also called woodchucks, groundhogs have proliferated in recent decades and are not a protected species under state law. In fact, SCDNR’s guidance on what to do with a trapped groundhog is unambiguous: “Trapped woodchucks must be dispatched and not relocated.”
Helms said he sometimes catches flak from people who object to this lethal requirement, which is why he tries to educate clients on their options.
“With all these animals, if they’re not bothering your home or killing your animals or something like that, then if you can let them be, I think that’s honestly best for the animal,” Helms said.
Helms and Lee both said people should keep in mind most of their conflicts with wild animals are the result of the animals’ instinct to find food.
“Understanding what’s going on is a big part of learning to adapt and learning to live with (the animals that are) around you,” Lee said.
Simple steps like securing food sources that attract animals can minimize the chances a home or business owner will have to call in a WCO. Unsecured pet food or garbage are frequent culprits in drawing wild animals into neighborhoods and around homes. Bird feeders are another common attractant.
“Pretty much every animal in South Carolina is an opportunistic animal,” Helms said. “If they see a way to survive better, then they’re going to do it.”
Things to consider when calling a wildlife control operator
The state Department of Natural Resources maintains a list of authorized wildlife control operators and offers some practical guidance when seeking help from a WCO, including:
- Ask for references
- Compare prices and services from more than one WCO
- Get a detailed description of what work the WCO will do
- Do not feel obligated to hire a WCO after a home or site inspection
- Understand that it is against state law to permit routine relocation of wildlife
For the full list, visit dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/docs/nwco.pdf.
Nuisance wildlife tips
- Most human/wildlife conflicts occur because animals are seeking convenient sources of food and/or shelter.
- Secure things like pet food, garbage, and food scraps (like debris left on a grill) to reduce the risk of attracting animals.
- Remember that some nuisance animals, like squirrels or snakes, can be relocated after being trapped. Other trapped nuisance animals — like woodchucks (groundhogs), armadillos and coyotes — must be euthanized under state law.
- County and municipal animal control agencies do not handle calls involving nuisance wildlife. Such calls should be directed to SCDNR or a wildlife control operator.
