How and why you might want to prevent wildlife from coming to your backyard

AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is offering residents several ways to avoid wildlife conflicts.
Some species are drawn to residential areas because they offer food, shelter and safety from natural predators, but in exchange, they risk running into trouble with their human neighbors.
As a Maine resident, you can control the way you experience the wildlife around you – enjoying the wonder of watching animals move through their habitats — not yours. To do so, you just need to understand why animals might be attracted to your property, and then take some preventative steps.
How to avoid conflicts:
* Watch wildlife from a distance.
* Never approach, handle, feed, or attempt to move a wild animal.
* Seal potential entry points in attics or chimneys and under buildings, decks, and crawl spaces with 1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth, boards, or metal flashing.
* Trim tree limbs near rooftops and attach sheets of metal flashing around building corner.
* Store garbage in a building. Use garbage cans with latching lids that do not open if pushed over. If you have curbside pickup, wait until that morning to take out the trash.
* Keep dumpster lids closed and latched.
* Secure your compost to keep wildlife out.
* Never compost animal matter, which can become smelly and attract wildlife.
* Plant native plants in your yard that provide food and shelter for birds and other species, without attracting rodents and other animals.
* Secure your poultry and livestock in a predator-proof pen, protected by electric fencing or guard animals
* Store food indoors or in an animal-proof container.
* Keep your pet’s vaccinations up to date.
* Keep your pet on a leash and under control at all times.
* Don’t feed pets outside unless you must; and if that’s the case, clean up after.
* Don’t feed feral cats.
* At night (dusk until dawn), brings your pets inside and lock pet doors to keep other animals out.