The year of the Rat, according to zodiac calendars, entered
in and brought with it the latest global pandemic. Through the ages humans have
suffered the consequences of pestilential diseases – be they viral, bacterial,
or fungal. There are documents from the 1300’s reporting the ‘black death’
plague. The first case of bubonic plague in humans was recorded in San
Francisco in March of 1900. Within the last 200+ years we have seen have seen
assorted outbreaks – Spanish Influenza, Typhoid, Small Pox, Scarlet Fever,
Yellow Fever, Diphtheria, Tuberculosis,
Polio, AIDS, Anthrax, WNVS, SARS, Bird Flu, Swine (H1N1) Flu, Ebola, Zika.
The important lessons learned through the centuries can be directly applied to
our appreciation of our native wild animal neighbors today!
Do not create unattended stockpiles of items. This will
attract unwanted rodents and other animals. Animals who alter their natural
wild habits and become reliant upon humans for food or shelter will not remain
in top condition therefore they themselves become prone to disease and
parasites such as fleas and ticks. External parasites are carriers of many
diseases, like bubonic plague which is zoonotic – meaning it crosses boundaries
from animal to human without hesitation.
Don’t be the vector. Simply put a vector is a line – from one
point to another. For example the vector of plague was the flea on the rat who
found food and shelter inside the house of the human. The flea was then able to
infect the human. Don’t be the ‘flea’ brain and find yourself the direct line
of why your community is suffering due to your incorrect cohabitation habits.
One example: leaving garbage strewn about year round or putting out bags of
corn. Then in the Autumn, state wildlife officers hearing complaints about a
bear refusing to enter hibernation because it is searching for easy food.
Recognize the ‘host range’.
Viruses will have a particular species which is susceptible, the host
range. Just say this is the species the virus must have in order to survive. A
wild animal has a range or territory; this is the place where all the
requirements of life must be found in order to survive. Without the (host)
range it will die.
The most important lesson is to appreciate life from afar.
Take a moment to reflect what social distancing means. Now write with indelible
ink upon your memory that wild animals should always be appreciated from a
social distance.
There have been far too many reports made of human and wild
animal conflict. The tragedy is in most of these instances, the tragedy should
not have occurred. The human simply was not respecting the social distance -
the fight or flight range of the wild animal, the result usually being death.
Tourist injured by a charging Bear. Mountain Goat dies after fleeing
photographers. Child injured due to trying to pick up a young Raccoon. Painted
Turtle euthanized to end suffering caused by malnourishment relating to illegal
capture and possession by private citizen. Bald Eagle suffered irreparable damage from
gunshot wounds to wings.
Respect #socialdistancing and our #wildidaho. You can find
out more about keeping Idaho wild by going to the secure American Heritage
Wildlife Foundation website at https://www.ahwf.org. Find also on social media
or call 208.266.1488
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