Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008

Varmints wreaking havoc in Merced County

MERCED — The birds and the bees help agriculture in Merced County in a big way.

But sometimes they affect the county's No. 1 industry in a big, bad way.

Bird species such as starlings, redwing blackbirds and pigeons, along with coyotes and beavers, are the main problems for agriculture, and almost all of those species' numbers are on the rise.

Wade Carlson, district supervisor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services, said beavers are becoming more visible, especially to folks living in suburban areas around Merced. A big beaver dam can be seen near Olive Avenue and Highway 59, and beavers have been seen swimming across Lake Yosemite.

Beavers are destructive to agriculture because they can block irrigation ditches and canals and take down trees in orchards. And they have no natural predators in the area, Carlson said.

But it's not just beavers that hurt growers and ranchers. Coyotes have moved to the outskirts of the city.

Carlson said coyotes are highly adaptable. When they live around people, they lose their fear. The doglike mammals can weigh 40 pounds to 70 pounds and often travel in pairs.

They learn to eat pet food — and sometimes pets.

Cattle and sheep ranchers also can be hit hard by coyotes. Lambs are a favorite meal, and many sheep breeders use dogs to keep the sheep safe.

But many sheep, and most cattle, roam, Carlson said, and can be susceptible to coyote attacks.

The best defense against coyotes is a good offense, according to experts. Strong, tight fencing that keeps the animals out is a must, and if animals can be penned up at night, Carlson said, that's even better.

It's not just mammals that are hard on ag folks. Birds are a particular problem for dairies. Starlings and pigeons not only eat dairy cattle's feed, they also foul that feed with their droppings. Those droppings can cause diseases in cattle, and dairy farmers work hard to keep their feed safe from birds.

Propane cannons are one way dairies try to keep birds on the move. The cannons go off sporadically, making a booming sound, and scare the birds away. Moving the cannons around the dairy also drives the birds away, Carlson said.

Bobcats, commonly found in the foothills, are being seen more and more in urban areas around Merced. They, too, are adaptable, and are fierce hunters of small rodents. They can also take down deer in the winter when food is scarce, but are more likely to eat rabbits and squirrels.

Carlson said that bobcats occasionally will kill chickens or other poultry, but he hasn't heard too many complaints about that around Merced.

Living with wildlife is going to continue to be the norm in the suburban areas around Merced, but most people won't be affected by the increasing numbers.

"These guys are here to stay," Carlson said. "These animals are very adaptable, and we need to learn to live with them, and not try to exterminate them."