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Tips for Securing Attractants

How Wildlife Sees Your Backyard

Do you have items around your home that could attract wildlife like coyotes, bears or raccoons? Learn how wildlife sees your backyard.

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Never Feed Wildlife

In some cases, feeding wildlife is illegal in Florida. Species with rules related to feeding include bears, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, pelicans, alligators, crocodiles, sandhill cranes, and wild monkeys. Feeding wildlife can reduce their fear of humans which may result in aggression and the need for the animal to be removed or killed in order to protect public safety.

Secure Your Home, Property, and Animals

Many people enjoy backyard wildlife viewing. In some cases “uninvited” wildlife may visit yards and neighborhoods which may create conflicts with you or your neighbors. Wildlife will return to unsecured food sources even after just one visit and can easily become habituated to humans. Prevent unwanted interactions and learn how to coexist with wildlife by identifying and securing attractants.

Coyote reacting to an audible alarm deterrent

Using deterrents such as motion-activated sprinklers or audible alarms can help haze and scare away coyotes and other wildlife from your property and encourage them to leave the area. This video shows an audible alarm at work, effectively deterring a coyote (note: turn your volume down before playing, as the alarm is loud!).

Raccoons reacting to a motion-activated sprinkler deterrent

Using deterrents such as motion-activated sprinklers or audible alarms can help haze and scare away coyotes and other wildlife from your property and encourage them to leave the area. This video shows a motion-activated sprinkler at work, effectively deterring a raccoon. For more information about reducing conflicts with raccoons, visit: MyFWC.com/Raccoon.