| Fun Animal Fact of the Month The raccoon gets it’s name from the Algonquin word arakun which means “one who scratches with his hands.” Inspirational Quote Of the Month “Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when they become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure. Patience creates confidence, decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success.” Brian Adams Welcome to Critter Comrades the Got Wildlife? Monthly newsletter. We hope you enjoy it! This newsletter is for you, if you have any suggestions, questions or topics you would like us to cover please email: For NY contact dan@gotwildlifepro.com For NJ contact dean@gotwildlifepro.com |
ANIMAL FEATURE
Raccoon Have you seen the movie Furry Vengeance? If you are wild about wildlife or are in the business of resolving wildlife/human conflicts you will enjoy this movie. The raccoon is hilarious or should I say what the raccoon does is hilarious and his underlying true nature shines through in the movie. He is cunning, creative, protective and aggressive when provoked. Raccoons will use their five fingered hands to rip into or grab whatever it is they desire, whether it be the siding on your house, a slight space in your soffit or your front lawn digging for grubs. I have even seen one hang from a gutter while rescuing one of it’s kits aka baby raccoons. The raccoons distinctive “mask” fits its reputation as a night-time bandit, thief and garbage raider. Although they appear to be cute and cuddly, they can be very aggressive if they feel threatened. If you encounter one, please give Got Wildlife? a call at 1-877-FUR-FIND and we would welcome the opportunity to assist you. Raccoons are part of the Procyonidae family which includes raccoons, coatis, ringtails, kinkagous and the asian lesser panda. Raccoons range in size from 12 to 36 pounds having a body 26 to 38 inches long including a 10 inch tail. Their coat is long and thick, grizzled, grayish brown, and they have a black mask below white eyebrows. Their Legs are medium in length and their paws are puffy and they have flexible toes used for climbing. They are primarily nocturnal but may be active during the day, especially in the spring and summer when the female is nursing her young and requires more food. They do not hibernate. However, If the temperature drops below 25 degrees fahrenheit they may sleep for days. They do not migrate. Raccoons are opportunists. They eat fruits, berries and mast (acorns, nuts, and seeds from trees), insects, worms, frogs, fish, turtles, mice, crayfish, clams, snails, eggs and young of birds and reptiles, garden, orchard, and field crops, birdseed, pet food, garbage and carion. Raccoons prefer to live in hardwood forests near streams, rivers, swamps, or ponds. They are highly adaptable. They will den in tree cavities and hollow logs, rock crevices, burrows, brush piles, haystacks, beaver lodges, chimneys, attics, crawl spaces, barns, buildings, culverts, storm sewers, and abandoned autos. They usually have a central den (and a few spares) within its range. Females may den together in groups of up to a dozen. Males den by themselves. Raccoons mate in late January to February. Gestation takes approximately 63 days. Typical birthing periods are from March through May. However, late breeding females may give birth as late as August. Raccoons are polygamous, females raise the young alone. In fact, the males will potentially kill the kits if they find them. A typical litter is 3 to 5 kits.  BEST PRACTICES RaccoonIf anyone is feeding the raccoons, persuade them to stop. Put trash out in the morning, instead of the evening, if possible, or keep trash in a protected area. Enclose compost piles in a framed box using hardware cloth or welded wire; in a sturdy container, such as a 55-gallon drum; or in a commercial composter. Feed pets indoors. Any food left outdoors should be removed at night. Pet food bowls should also be brought indoors because they retain attractive odors Although raccoons do appear to be cute and cuddly they are an extremely dangerous animal. Raccoons are the highest carrier of rabies in New York and New Jersey. Their scat fouls yards and other public areas and presents significant health hazards due to the parasites found in their scat, ie roundworm. If you are having any issues with raccoons whether it be a public facility, residential home or commercial property call 1-877-FUR-FIND and Got Wildlife? will provide a professional, humane, permanent resolution to your wildlife/human conflict. Please visit us at www.GotWildlifePro.com IF YOU ARE CRAZY ABOUT WILDLIFE…STAY TUNED..OUR E-COMMERCE SITE IS COMING SOON 5% discount to all war veterans and military personal Mohonk Preserve. Friday July 16th. Toddlers on the trail–Stream walk 10 am to 12 pm. .For more information please visit www.mohonkpreserve.org Museum of Hudson Highlands. Every Tuesday and Weds. in July. Discovering Animals Together from 9:30 am to 10:30 am (ages 2 to 4) and 11 am to 12 pm (ages 3 to 4)at the Wildlife Nature Center. For more information please visit; www.museumhudsonhighlands.org Weinberg Nature Center. www.weinbergnaturecenter.org And for some Wildlife fun all year round visit: www.turtlebackzoo.org – located in West Orange, NJ
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Got Wildlife? LLC has been Contracted by Kraft Foods, Inc.
Got Wildlife? LLC 1-877-FUR-FIND has been contracted by Kraft Foods, Inc. (NYSE: KFT) to provide Wildlife Management Services. Got Wildlife? LLC, based out of Newburgh, NY serves both residential and commercial accounts and provides the following services; Animal Trapping, Removal and Re-Location, Wildlife Damage Prevention and Repairs, Dead Animal Removal and Animal Clearance Certificates. Kraft Foods is the largest confectionery, food, and beverage corporation headquartered in the United States and the second-largest in the world. It markets many brands in more than 155 countries. Kraft Foods believes in quality and seamless operations. Got Wildlife? in New York recently consulted with Kraft Management and devised a humane way to deal with its wildlife issues that were impacting and interrupting its warehouse and logistics operations.
Got Wildlife? takes pride in assisting top companies
like Kraft. Kraft believes in the safety and well being of its product and employees. Got Wildlife? has successfully incorporated tools and a wildlife management strategy to prevent any further exposures to their extensive operations and staff. Got Wildlife? LLC is a full service Wildlife Management provider based out of Newburgh, New York, serving Northern, New Jersey through the Upper Hudson Valley of New York. If you are in need of assistance, please contact us at 1-877 FUR–FIND (1-877-387-3463) or visit us at www.GotWildlifePro.com.
Got Wildlife? LLC Removes Deer from Ravine in Roseland, New Jersey
On May 24th, 2010, Got Wildlife? LLC was contacted by Mack-Cali to assist them in an emergency situation. A young deer had jumped over the fence which was protecting the retention pond near the parking lot of a commercial property, owned and managed by Mack-Cali, located in Roseland, New Jersey. Unfortunately, there was a steep slope on the other side of the fence which prevented the deer from jumping back over the fence. The deer was extremely frightened by the crowd that had gathered which included the local police department and fire department. The deer wedged itself into one of the drain pipe canals within the fenced area. It was a difficult situation due to the deer being extremely frightened combined with the location and access to the deer. “We were very concerned that the deer would injure himself, myself, one of the police officers or fireman. I assessed the situation, designed a solution, and executed the plan successfully by releasing the deer safely back into the woods. I am a trained professional in Wildlife Management Services. We understand the animals we deal with and what it takes to resolve a human/wildlife conflict in a timely, professional and humane manner.” stated Dean Weiss, Owner/Operator.
Newsletter May 2010
| Fun Animal Fact of the Month Bats are the only mammal that can fly. Inspirational Quote Of the Month “Success is not a destination, it’s a journey.” Zig Ziglar Welcome to Critter Comrades the Got Wildlife? Monthly newsletter. We hope you enjoy it! This newsletter is for you, if you have any suggestions, questions or topics you would like us to cover please email: For NY contact dan@gotwildlifepro.com For NJ contact dean@wildlifepro.com |
ANIMAL FEATURE
Bats
 Whenever I think of Bats one of my favorite childhood books comes to mind, Stellaluna by Janell Cannan. Stellaluna is a Fruit Bat, we do not have those in our service areas. If you have a child and you haven’t read it yet, it’s an incredible story of acceptance and well worth the read. Bats are amazing mammals. There are over 1100 species of bats found worldwide, just about 25% of all mammal species and yes some of them do suck blood(Vampire Bat). Most of these bats are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. The world’s smallest mammal is the Bumblebee Bat of Thialand which weighs about as much as a dime. And on the other extreme, the Giant Flying Fox Bat (they are fruit bats found in Indonesia) have wingspans of nearly six feet. The two bats found in our service areas, are the Little Brown Bat and the Big Brown Bat and they eat insects. In fact, a Little Brown Bat can consume up to 1,000 mosquitos per hour. While they absolutely provide significant benefits to our immediate environment, if residing in the wrong places, they can become a hazard or nuisance to your family or customers. You may find females roosting in colonies of buildings (residential or commercial) to raise their young. Their guano and urine can damage insulation and other household and commercial goods and attract other pests. During an extreme heat wave, several bats may enter your living quarters or business, seeking a cooler roost. This is when they’ll show up in places they normally don’t use. Big Brown Bats will hibernate in buildings (little browns don’t seem to.) In the winter, a Big Brown Bat may leave its roost in your attic and fly around in the living and working spaces. This usually happens when the temperature of the attic roost changes dramatically, disturbing their hibernation—during a thaw, or during the very coldest part of the winter, if the attic is much colder than the rest of the house. |
Furry Vengeance
Yahoo! One for the animals. Being in the Wildlife Management business, I felt compelled to go and check out the movie, Furry Vengeance. I have to say, the raccoon was my favorite. He was one clever fellow—very much like most raccoons we encounter. I enjoyed the movie thoroughly and my 6 year old son, Jason, was in stitches during the entire show. If animals could fight back, I am sure they would…they only have a few intentions in life, to survive (find food, water and shelter) and to pro-create—they will always come from that perspective….and as for people, well we come from all different types of perspectives, some more globally conscience then others. In my previous life, I spent 17 years on wall street in Real Estate Finance and unfortunately, I met many developers/property owners that focused on the deal, losing sight of what the impact would be long term to an area if that deal went through….yeah sure they would abide by requirements laid out by the municipality, i.e. if you are going to destroy x, then you must plant 10 trees…yada yada, but the concern was rarely about protecting the wildlife.
My desire or hope is that perhaps this satire will actually raise awareness to the destruction created by large developers wiping out forests and other natural sites and the wildlife present in our world today. Maybe we could figure out better ways to work together, both the Wildlife Control Operator and the Real Estate Developers. Why does it have to be, build = destruction? Yes, it might cost a few extra bucks, but price it into your backend cost on the sale of the property—given the state of our environments, nature locations should sell for a substantial premium…so come on developers, any thoughts??
And it has nothing to do with Capitalism. I am a pure Capitalist with a social conscience.
Dan and Dean
“All the woulda-coulda-shouldas layin’ in the sun, talkin’ ’bout the things they woulda-coulda-shoulda done… But all those woulda-coulda-shouldas all ran away and hid from one little did.”
— Sheldon Silverstein, Author
Thank You Wildlife Rehabilitators
I have the ultimate respect for Wildlife Rehabilitators. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a seminar on the ABC’s of becoming a rehabber. It was held at the Weinberg Nature Center in Scarsdale, NY. The hosts were Maggie Ciarca, a Wildlife Rehabilitator who specializes in Opossums and Joanne Dreeban an aviary specialist. I was honored to be in front of these two highly dedicated and knowledgeable Wildlife Rehabilitators. They explained it all to us from supplies, to the personal time commitment to the lack of funding support. It is amazing to me the dedication and commitment these individuals have in their role as a Wildlife Rehabilitator. They have to tend to the animals’ day to day needs—food, water—in addition to treating their medial ailments. Most babies have to eat every 2 to 3 hours depending upon species and their living quarters must be kept sanitary. It is a 24/7 job that typically goes unrecognized. We would like to say THANK YOU for all of your assistance to us and our fellow WCO’s. We appreciate all you do.
In fact, we are in the process of setting up our not for profit, The Got Wildlife? Foundation with the intentions of donating a portion of our funds generated/raised to Wildlife Rehabilitators in our service areas and beyond—as our organization grows we will look to assist nationwide. Stay tuned for updates on the Got Wildlife? Foundation.
Below is a recent circumstance that required assistance from a Wildlife Rehabilitator, Susan Denicholas in Newburgh, NY. We rescued 4 raccoon kits –aren’t they adorable. They were all healthy and will be rehabbed and released into the wild later this summer.
In closing, this time of year you will be seeing many babies, perhaps without their parents. Don’t be an accidental kidnapper. During the spring and Summer Seasons, new generations of wild birds and mammals are born in our woodlands and yards. These young wild animals are less wary of humans than their parents and are often mistaken for orphans and “rescued” by well-intentioned people. The fact is that, in many cases, these infant animals and birds are not truly orphaned or abandoned and are better left to be cared for by their natural parents. Two simple rules of thumb:
- If you have to chase it to catch it, it does not require your assistance.
- Don’t remove it from its parents.
And if you do come across a situation that requires you to contact a Wildlife Rehabilitator place the animal in a warm, dark, quiet area. Do not feed or provide water, until you have spoken to a professional and have been given instructions.
If you are in need of a Wildlife Rehabilitator in New York, Please visit www.nyswrc.org or call me at 917-282-9090 and I will get you in touch with a Rehabilitator that can assist. If in NJ please visit www.njawr.org
“This American system of ours, call it Americanism,call it capitalism, call it what you will, gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it.”
Aurthur Unknown
Got Wildlife? LLC Lands Contract with Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant
Got Wildlife? has been contracted by Indian Point Energy Center to provide Wildlife Management Services. Indian Point Energy Center (IPEC) is a three-unit nuclear power plant station located in Buchanan, New York just south of Peekskill. It sits on the east bank of the Hudson River, 24 miles north of New York City, New York.
The plant is owned and operated by Entergy Nuclear Northeast, a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation and includes two operating Westinghouse pressurized water reactors – Indian Point 2 and Indian Point 3. “This is a large facility with very specific requirements. Security is a priority and we need to be in and out quickly so that we do not interfere with the day to day operations of the facility.
Throughout our discussions we made it very clear that we were sensitive to their requirements and procedural guidelines. Here at Got Wildlife? we cater the wildlife solutions to the clients needs, requirements and restrictions. We understand that every situation and every client is different.” Stated Ben Munger Co-Owner/Operator.
Got Wildlife? prides itself on providing professional customer service combined with the best wildlife solutions for the situation. We have balance, we understand people and wildlife.
What We Do and How We Do It
Spring is in full bloom and our wildlife is becoming more and more active every day. Babies are on their way (or already here) and our beautiful critters of the area are in full stride searching for a place to nest and raise their family, if they haven’t already done so in your habitat/property. My husband is working around the clock. It’s definitely a lifestyle change, but we love what we do, so there is no downside. What amazes me is the lack of understanding of what it is we do, how we do it and why we make the recommendations to perform certain tasks. I thought it would be beneficial to walk you through it and provide the “why” behind our steps.
When we respond to a call we will set up a site inspection which includes an interview with the homeowner. Often the first question out of a client is, “how much will this cost me?” That is why the site inspection and interview are so vital. Every human/wildlife conflict is different, depending upon many variables; what type of animal is it? Is it a vector species? Is it poisonous? Is it a large male? Is it a pregnant female or a female with babies? Where is it located? Is it in a hard to get place under the deck or in a crawl space? Is it in the attic and if so how high is the roof and how many pitches does it have? If it’s birds, are there multiple locations within the facility? Are there public areas to be concerned with? Do we have limited times we may access the property? How long has the client been hearing noises? How often? All of the answers to these questions (and more) will play a significant role in pricing. BEWARE OF COMPANIES THAT PRICE OVER THE PHONE WITHOUT SEEING AND UNDERSTANDING THE WILDLIFE ISSUE—THIS IS A SET UP FOR A RE-PRICING ONCE THEY ARE HIRED.
Following the site inspection we will provide you with a proposal which will involve the removal /re-location of the animal, a recommendation on exclusion work and environmental clean-up ( if need be). Exclusion meaning we determine where the animal is entering in from and we seal those access points. All three steps are important to ensure that the animal or another perspective animal does not return. What amazes me is when people tell us to just get rid of it, but take a pass on the exclusion work and or the clean up. I am just not sure what the purpose is to remove something, but leave a gaping hole with an attractive scent to it. Simply trapping an intrusive animal does not solve the problem. The property remains susceptible to re-entry with no guarantee another animal will not occupy the space. Exlcusion work is vital to ensuring the human/wildlife conflict is properly resolved. Bottom line, if you have no intention of getting the exclusion work done, don’t bother removing the animal. It is a waste of your money.
Our final step is to educate you, the customer, on the steps you can take as a home owner or business owner that would assist in preventing another human/wildlife conflict.
I hope that clarifies what we do and how we do it. For more information please feel free to contact me directly at 917-282-9090 or visit us at www.GotWildlifePro.com
“You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you”.
James Allen
Got Wildlife? Sponsors Earth Day at the Museum of Hudson Highlands, Cornwall, NY
April 30, 2010 — Got Wildlife? was proud to be a sponsor and participant in Earth Day at the Discovery Outdoor Center of the Museum of Hudson Highlands located in Cornwall, NY held on Saturday, April 24th, 2010. The Museum’s mission is to create responsible caretakers of our environment. They promote knowledge and appreciation of our natural world and the dynamic role of human interaction in it’s well being. This is done through quality educational programs. Got Wildlife? believes in the importance of education of our ecological systems, natural wildlife habitats combined with the human interaction and co-existence, especially in our youth. “We are in the process of setting up our own not for profit called the Got Wildlife? Foundation. One of the core principles in our mission is to provide community outreach programs that educate our youth on all aspects of wildlife (in our service area) including behavior, diet, breeding, potential health hazards to humans combined with understanding of wildlife natural habitats, how to co-exist with wildlife amicably and the significance of why the wildlife should remain in their natural habitat.” States Dean and Dan of Got Wildlife? which is a company that believes in social responsibility. We are passionate about our wildlife, today, tomorrow and always. It is one of our goals to enroll others to be socially responsible with the wildlife that surrounds us.
Got Wildlife? Does a Great Job Removing the Raccoons
April 29, 2010 — Got Wildlife? recently completed providing Wildlife Management
Solutions to the YWCA in New Windsor, NY. Got Wildlife? removed several Raccoons, repaired extensive structural damage created by the raccoons and provided exclusion work to mitigate the future risk of raccoons returning. Raccoons are wonderful animals that belong in their natural wildlife habitat
, not our homes or commercial facilities. They carry diseases and can be quite aggressive and threatening when protecting themselves or their young. Got Wildlife? discreetly removed the animals during off hours as to not disturb the members of the YWCA. “At Got Wildlife? we understand that some clients may require us to work around certain time frames so that we do not disturb their membership or clients. For Got Wildlife? It’s all about accomplishing the wildlife solution within the parameters of the client’s needs and desires.” Stated Dan Schwarzbeck Co-Owner/Operator. Got Wildlife? Prides itself on being the #1 rated Raccoon Removal, Exclusion & Clean Up Specialist in the Hudson Valley of New York and Northern New Jersey. We are so confident in our work performed that we will provide a 2 year guarantee.