Protecting raptors and other wildlife near roads
Think about the food chain all around us
Written by Christie Hill, Naturalist Coordinator
June 9, 2020
It seems like we have come a long way since people casually tossed trash from cars. However, now that we understand more about what things are biodegradable we are prone to think less of tossing an apple core, banana peel, or french fry out of our moving vehicle.
Please don’t!
Think about the food chain all around us. Small mammals feed many of our snakes and raptors and even the insects feed amphibians, other reptiles, and songbirds.
Where can you find these small animals? Anywhere they can find food.
Hopefully we find all of these animals somewhere in our own habitats, to reveal that we live in a healthy ecosystem. Rodents, opossums, raccoons and many animals especially love people scraps, but we don’t want to encourage them to depend on us for food. Also, anytime they wander close to a road to find food there is a danger that they may be hit by a vehicle.
Raptors also depend on those animals for their prey. These birds typically do not hesitate to cross a road to capture a moving animal and are unaware of what is coming.
This is just one more small way we can help to protect the wildlife who share the areas around us.
>> If you suspect an animal is injured, you can call the CNC Wildlife Department at 770-992-2055, press 4. You may also visit AHNow.org to locate a licensed rehabilitator in your area. The Animal Help Now website and phone app covers the entire country so it is handy when travelling.
Other Resources:
How to assist wildlife and if it is needed
Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Wildlife Department
CNC’s Wildlife Department Facebook Page