Climate Doom May Possibly Maybe We Think Explain More Wildlife In Your Yard

It’s always something with these wackos

Seeing more wildlife in your yard? Climate change may explain why, UCLA study finds

If you’ve noticed more wildlife visiting your yard in recent years — maybe digging up your vegetable garden or even drinking from your pool — you’re not alone.

A recent study from UCLA found that larger predators like mountain lions and bears are more likely to interact with humans and travel closer to population centers in drier years. To determine this, the researchers analyzed state data collected on reported property damage, nuisances, conflicts and sightings.

“It kind of runs the full gamut of how people interact with wildlife around their neighborhoods and their homes,” said UCLA postdoctoral researcher Kendall Calhoun, the lead author on the study.

As you might expect, different animals might have different reasons for entering populated areas. But in large part, Calhoun said, it comes down to animals’ survival instincts.

The primary motivator for many herbivores is likely to be food. That’s because with less precipitation, there’s also less plant material for them to eat. (Don’t forget: even with all the rain we’ve had recently, much of Southern California is still in a drought.)

“?Deer and elk might be pushed to find those food resources in places that they normally wouldn’t go, like agriculture, crops, things from people’s yards, persimmons from your tree,” Calhoun said.

While wetter and drier times might have something to do with it, the main culprit has always been urban/suburban sprawl, taking away resources and territory. And, these wild animals can get used to being in human dominated areas, looking for livestock (which has happened for thousands of years), digging through trash, eating your garden. There’s less concern for humans doing something and larger numbers as environmental regulations (which I’m in favor of) limit hunting them.

We have a coyote which wanders through the middle of our golfing community. I’ve seen it on multiple occassions. It walks through the backyards of homes and along the 15th. I saw it walk across the road in the middle of the day and into a backyard near the 1st tee. I know they walk along the greenway along the river. I’ve seen tracks for other animals, possibly a large wild cat. Deer will be in my backyard since I moved in in 2009. One scared the beejesus out of me at 630am in the dark while having that 1st smoke while rubbing his antlers on my deck.

There are bears that will get in the middle of the Garden State Parkway in Monmouth County and down, especially in Ocean and down, as more construction happens. Think of the moose videos in Alaska and Maine. Gators in Florida, Alabama, etc. It’s not ‘climate change’, but, the cult has to drag everything in.