Urban Wildlife Found in Mississauga
Toronto is often dubbed the raccoon capital of Canada but Mississauga residents know that those same masked bandits are perfectly at home in the 905 region. As the sixth largest municipality in Canada, Mississauga shares many of the same challenges as Toronto when it comes to urban wildlife. Despite rapid population growth and development, Mississauga is home to large and sometimes troublesome wildlife populations. Since 1989, Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control has specialized in helping Mississauga residents to solve their wildlife conflicts.
Some attribute Mississauga’s large raccoon population, at least in part, to the many rivers, creeks and streams that drain into Lake Ontario. The Credit River and Etobicoke Creek are the largest of the city’s 20 watersheds. In fact, 80% of Mississauga’s natural areas are associated with watershed valley systems that exist near waterways. These natural corridors, nestled between urban surroundings, provide raccoons and other wildlife with travel routes free from vehicle traffic as well as food sources.
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How Raccoons Take Advantage of Mississauga
Raccoons like to make their home near water where they forage for food along the shoreline. They are known for the unusual habit of dunking or “washing” their food in water. In fact, the latin name for raccoon is Procyon lotor with lotor being the Latin word for “washer”. Raccoons have a highly developed sense of touch and it is believed that making their paws wet enhances nerve responsiveness which gives them a better understanding of what they are eating.
Beyond raccoons, Mississauga is home to other urban wildlife species including squirrels, skunks, birds, bats, mice, foxes and coyotes. These species have adapted well to the urban jungle and living alongside humans. Cities provide wildlife with secure den sites in the form of attics, vents, decks and sheds to name a few. When wildlife decide to make their home, in your home, they can cause tremendous amounts of damage and create unsanitary conditions. To avoid costly damage and repairs it is best for Mississauga homeowners to use professional wildlife removal.
Using a Professional vs. DIY Home Repair
Professional wildlife removal is especially important during the spring and summer wildlife birthing season. During this time female animals seek out secure den sites to raise their babies. Raccoons and squirrels favour attics while skunks seek out ground level homes below decks, sheds and porches. The arrival of litters makes wildlife removal more complicated because the babies are immobile and must be located and removed by hand. This can get tricky when babies are stashed away in the corners of attics, vents or chimneys. For effective wildlife removal in Mississauga trust the knowledgeable team at Skedaddle.
The arrival of the first litter of baby raccoons or squirrels marks the start of the busiest season for wildlife removal professionals. Each year Skedaddle records the date of when the first litter is found and removed. In 2019 Skedaddle removed a litter of baby raccoons from a home in Mississauga in the Lakeshore Rd. and Hurontario St. area on February 27th. In over 30 years of operation that is the earliest we have ever found raccoon babies on a job site, beating the previous record of February 29th set in 2012.
Trust Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control
We know that dealing with wildlife inside your home is an unfamiliar and stressful experience. With decades of experience you trust Skedaddle’s proven process. We start with a thorough inspection by one of our trained technicians to get a complete understanding of the situation and develop a customized removal and prevention plan. We then use hands-on techniques to humanely remove the wildlife, clean up the mess and secure the home against future intrusion. If you suspect you might be sharing your home with wild intruders connect with us today!
