Expert shares tips for safely coexisting with spring wildlife
West Milford. Nancy Walker, president of The Last Resort Wildlife Refuge, urged West Milford residents to take humane measures to protect both people and animals during increased spring wildlife activity.
Nancy Walker, a veterinary medical technician with 37 years of experience rehabbing wildlife and president of The Last Resort Wildlife Refuge, spoke March 24 at the West Milford Library on safely coexisting with the town’s spring wildlife.
Walker advised against using pest control services, noting that relocated animals often die or leave behind dependent young, and instead recommended contacting licensed wildlife rescue organizations. She stressed practical home measures such as capping chimneys and covering openings to prevent squirrels, raccoons, and birds from entering homes.
Residents were also cautioned to delay mowing lawns for two to three weeks to protect rabbit nests, avoid glue traps that can harm pets and wildlife, and to use humane relocation techniques for rodents. Walker highlighted the dangers of rodenticides, which can poison children, pets, and wildlife, citing 12 children and 650 dogs killed last year.
For encounters with black bears or other wildlife while hiking, she suggested waving a large trash bag overhead to scare animals away safely. She also noted that fawns are often mistakenly believed abandoned; her refuge successfully reunited 48 fawns with their mothers last year.
“Coexistence is not doing nothing,” Walker said. “It’s doing the right thing,” emphasizing the importance of humane, informed interactions with local wildlife.”
