Wildlife Assistance

Human activities can attract certain wildlife species looking for an easy high-calorie meal or shelter under a convenient structure. Unfortunately this can bring them into conflict with the interests of people, and the wildlife can be considered to be a nuisance.

Most wildlife/human conflicts can be resolved by removing the attractant.  Trapping a nuisance animal should be a matter of last resort.

Before removing an animal, please read the nuisance wildlife definition and rules below.

Whom to call

If the animal is a domestic or feral animal, such as dog, cat, horse, etc. - it is best to contact your County Animal Control Office or the Humane Society.

If the situation involves a wild animal, such as a raccoon, opossum or snake - the Commission allows landowners to take nuisance wildlife under certain conditions. You also may give permission to another individual to take nuisance animals for you. Consult the FWC's list of Nuisance Wildlife Trappers that Operate in Your County.  Most trappers will charge a fee for their services.

To report a nuisance alligator, call 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

Many laws protect Florida's wildlife.  You can help the Commission - and remain anonymous - by calling 888-404-FWCC (3922) to report wildlife law violators.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has additional information about federal laws.

The FWC does not remove nuisance animals, with the exception of imperiled species in limited situations.  FWC regional staff can answer specific questions about human/wildlife conflict. To reach a Wildlife Assistance Biologist, please contact the regional office that serves your county.

Injured or Orphaned Wildlife

The regional staff has a list of wildlife rehabilitators to care for orphaned or injured wildlife. Generally if you find a baby animal it is best to leave it alone. Often the animal is not orphaned, and the parent may be out getting food for the animal, or watching the baby. Never pick up baby animals and remove them from their natural environment!

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Nuisance Animals

Occasionally wild animals and humans come into conflict. Whether that situation involves a raccoon that routinely gets into your garbage or an armadillo burrowing under your house, often the conflict can be resolved by removing the attractant.  If removing the attractant is not feasible or has been tried and is not working, other measures to remove nuisance wild animals can be taken.

Nuisance wildlife is wildlife that...

• causes (or is about to cause) property damage,
• presents a threat to public safety, or
• causes an annoyance within, under or upon a building.

Chapter 68A-9.010 - Taking Nuisance Wildlife
FAQs Rules on Euthanizing Nuisance Wildlife

Property owners who have problems with animals are responsible for complying with the many laws that protect animals.

With certain exceptions explained below, you do not need to notify or obtain FWC authorization to take destructive or nuisance wildlife from private property with the consent of the property owner.  Likewise, property owners may take nuisance wildlife, as long as the animals are destroyed humanely.  Relocating nuisance wildlife to another property is prohibited.

The exceptions apply to the taking of nuisance alligators; deer; bears; bats; most migratory birds, their nests or eggs; or state-listed or federally listed species of special concern, threatened or endangered species.  Additionally, anyone possessing or transporting live venomous reptiles is required to have a License to Possess or Exhibit Venomous Reptiles and/or Reptiles of Concern. 

A permit is also required to use steel traps to take destructive mammals (excluding species prohibited by the FWC).  A Gun and Light at Night Permit is required to use a firearm and a light at night to remove nuisance armadillo, beaver, bobcat, coyote, fox, opossum, rabbit, raccoon, skunk or hog causing destruction of crops and/or livestock.

The FWC does not encourage the use of pesticides or other chemicals to remove nuisance wildlife because non-target wildlife may also be killed. However, FWC rules do allow the use of pesticides that are registered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, but only if they are used according to the product's label.

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Nuisance Bear

If a bear is seen around your neighborhood, it is important to immediately discourage repeat visits. What you can do is determine if there are any attractants in your neighborhood that will cause the bear to return.  If you have unsecured garbage, pet food, barbecue grills, or other food items available in your yard, you should secure those items as soon as possible.  Garbage can be stored in an enclosed garage, in an out-building, or in some other type of bear-resistant container.  If you know you live where bears may be present, please feed your pets indoors.  If they must be fed outside, clean up any uneaten food immediately after your pet finishes its meal.  Remember, it is illegal to feed bears in Florida.

If you have an apiary or a chicken coop you can acquire electric fencing that is available at any local hardware store or look for specialty stores that sell bear deterrent materials.  The mild shock should discourage the bear from pursuing the activity.

Every bear, bobcat or panther you see should not be considered a nuisance if they are just moving through an area in search of food.  Refrain from feeding wildlife in the hope that they will go away if they get what they want -- they won't.  They'll want to hang around to see what the next course is going to be -- help keep Florida's wildlife wild by respecting their need to travel and survive in a natural environment.  Consider yourself lucky if you see some of Florida's endangered or threatened species --not everyone gets an opportunity to experience seeing a panther or a bear close to home.  For more information about the Florida black bear, follow this link.

A nuisance bear is one that looks for handouts, hangs around because it thinks food is available, or becomes aggressive, etc.  If you have a nuisance bear in your neighborhood or on your property, please contact your local FWC regional office or call the Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Nuisance Deer

White-tailed deer will occasionally cause damage to cultivated crops.  For small gardens, this situation often can be improved by installing an inexpensive electric fence.  When it is not possible to install an electric fence or deterrent fence, and under special restrictions, deer causing damage to crops can be harassed (scared) with a gun and light at night, when authorized.  Find out more information on the Gun and Light at Night Permit.

In cases where a Gun and Light at Night Permit is not eliminating the depredation or is not feasible, and in situations where deer are causing extreme damage to a crop, contact your local FWC regional office to request a Depredating Deer permit for temporary relief.

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Rabid Animals

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is agency primarily responsible for rabies response, prevention, treatment and control.  If you suspect an animal of having rabies or if someone has been bitten, contact the local County Health Department.  Public health staff will investigate animal bite reports.  The DOH can request help from the Sheriff's office, Animal Control or the FWC, but their staff will make that decision. View the listing of Florida County Health Departments at www.doh.state.fl.us/chdsitelist.htm.

For more information about rabies control and prevention in Florida, visit the DOH on the Web at: www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/rabies/rabies-index.html.

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Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Problems

In the spring, bird species around the state start to build nests. Occasionally, this nesting behavior comes into conflict with human activities. Nuisance bird issues are not as easy to mitigate as nuisance mammal issues. Most birds are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Joint state-federal permits are issued under very limited circumstances to keep or remove native wild birds or their eggs or nests. For information on Migratory Bird and Eagle Permits, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

For more information contact the FWC's Division of Habitat & Species Conservation, Species Conservation and Planning Section. Often, nesting birds will use the nest for only a month or so before their young are ready to go. It is usually advisable to leave these birds alone until they are done with their nesting cycle.

Migratory nongame birds that cause damage to trees, crops, livestock or wildlife, or that are concentrated in such numbers that they are nuisance, may be taken with permits issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by calling 404-679-7070.  Blackbirds, grackles, cowbirds and crows can be taken without permits when they are causing damage.

You can find a comprehensive list of birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).

Information about dealing with problem ducks or geese is available at http://myfwc.com/WILDLIFEHABITATS/Duck_nuisance.htm.

If you are experiencing a problem with roosting vultures, please contact USDA Wildlife Services APHIS Wildlife at 352-377-5556 or toll free at 866-487-3297 for assistance in scaring off the birds.

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Dead Birds

The FWC works cooperatively with the Florida Department of Health on a wild bird mortality database. This project was initiated to support surveillance for bird die-offs, monitor for West Nile Virus, and is now also being used to monitor for avian influenza. The FWC is also interested in monitoring bird electrocutions from power lines and poles so that faulty facilities may be repaired.

If you find a dead bird, please report the bird by logging on to this special FWC Web site, or call your local FWC regional office. Your reports will assist in tracking the causes of bird mortality and surveying for avian influenza and West Nile Virus.

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Nuisance Alligators

Alligators are considered a nuisance when they are more than four feet in length, and are determined to be a threat to the welfare of the public, or the public’s pets, livestock, or property. If you need to report a nuisance alligator, call toll-free, 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

You can find more information about Nuisance Alligators online.

When a nuisance alligator trapper removes an alligator, that alligator becomes the property of the trapper (except in the case of an alligator bite on a human).  In most cases, the alligator is terminated and processed for its hide and meat.  The sale of the hide and meat is the primary compensation for the nuisance alligator trapper.  In a few cases, a nuisance alligator is sold live to an alligator farm, animal exhibit or zoo.  The trapper is usually reimbursed with an amount equivalent to the market value of the alligator.  However, the demand for live alligators by these establishments is low.

Some people would like the FWC to relocate nuisance alligators.  While, in rare cases, the agency does allow for the relocation of alligators less than four feet in length, relocation of larger, problem alligators is not an effective solution.  Relocation does not change the behavior that caused the alligator to be a nuisance, and relocated alligators frequently return to their capture site.  As a result, these alligators would continue to pose a danger.  Also, viable alligator populations exist in all suitable habitats in the state, making the relocation of alligators an unwarranted exercise from an ecological perspective.  Relocation of wild animals can also facilitate the spread of disease.

Alligators commonly become a nuisance when they are fed by humans.  Fed alligators lose their fear of people and can be dangerous.  For this reason it is against the law in Florida to feed wild alligators or other wild crocodilians.

You can learn more about the rules regarding wild animals online.  Most regulations for wildlife are found in Ch. 68A of the Florida Administrative Code.

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