Take caution to avoid conflict with wildlife

SOCIAL CIRCLE – Whether it is a landscape snacking animal or a critter coming too close for comfort, many people have had some sort of human-wildlife conflict issue. But why are wildlife, such as deer, coyotes, bears, raccoons, foxes and skunks, near your home in the first place? It is most commonly because of easy access to “food,” according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

“Wildlife can, and will, take advantage of ‘easy food’ opportunities. So, it is our job, as homeowners to ensure that we are keeping these non-natural foods away from wildlife – for our safety, the protection of our homes, and for wildlife,” Kaitlin Goode, the Urban Wildlife Program Manager for the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division, said in a news release.