Animal Control: How Wildlife Cope With the Summer Heat

  Summers around the world have been getting hotter in the last few years due to climate change. And this one is shaping up to continue the trend. This means that people and wildlife alike will be scrambling for ways to beat the heat. Etobicoke’s temperatures can rise to dangerous levels, especially in the summer, prompting extended heat warning days and other mitigating responses by the authorities. Animal control experts are of course concerned about the safety of wildlife animals and their ability to cope as temperatures in Etobicoke rise.

How Wildlife Animals Respond to Higher Temperatures

Wildlife animals are not immune to the heat that human beings have been facing. Unfortunately for them, their natural habitats do not boast the air conditioning features of human buildings. As a result, they have to find other ways to escape or endure the heat. Instinctively, they will seek ways to keep cool. Some of these efforts may lure them away from your property but others may attract them towards it. In a bid to escape the heat, some animals will move into your building. When they do this, they usually head for cooler spaces such as the basement. Other animals look for places to take a splash and keep their bodies cool. They retreat to areas containing streams, ponds, rivers, and other water bodies. Some Etobicoke property owners help wildlife animals to resist the heat by providing them with ‘cool-off spots’ on their property. Bird baths are popular among Etobicoke residents who want to help wildlife cope during the summer. If you erect a bird bath though, you must be prepared to see animals other than birds coming to share in its refreshing treat. If you have other water features, then you can also expect to see wildlife animals coming to take a sip or dip during the hot summer months. It is so important to keep these water retreats clean for the animals to avoid the spread of diseases. Here are some simple steps to do regularly throughout the year.

Step 1: Drain out any dirty, stagnant water

Step 2: Remove any spilled seed, feces or debris

Step 3: Use a water and vinegar solution and scrub the entire area clean. (Depending on how      contaminated the bath is you may need to allow the solution to soak for several minutes).

Step 4: Rinse completely with running water and allow to dry.

Step 5: Fill up with clean, fresh water

Some animals adjust their bodies to handle the heat. Through a process called aestivation, their bodies become less active in a state similar to torpor or hibernation. During this phase the animals retreat underground and remain inactive, living off of stored body fat until they need to eat or until the temperature becomes cooler (usually through rain or nightfall). Among the animals that do this are; frogs, toads snails and some types of ground squirrels.

Perspiration in Animals

Sweating is not a phenomenon that is unique to human beings. Some animals have sweat glands that spring into action in hot times. Animals use sweat the same way people do - to keep their bodies cool. The sweat cools the body as the liquid evaporates. It can be quite calming to watch wildlife animals as they enjoy the cool spaces on your property. However, wildlife can take advantage of these spaces which could lead to possible damage to your yard, shed, or home. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control provides strategies to gently and safely remove them from your Etobicoke property.