OUTBOUND KANSAS

FARM POND TURNOVER – The change of the seasons brings on a condition in many farm ponds known as turnover…the end result being an oxygen deficiency for the fish in that pond.  Large fish kills can result if the situation is not corrected, says K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.  This week, he explains how turnover happens, and that pond aeration is the solution.

CONTROLLING POCKET GOPHERS – Their burrowing can cause harvesting problems in hay fields, and their feeding can severely damage lawns and hay crops.  They are pocket gophers, which thrive throughout most of Kansas.  A combination of several management steps can prevent that damage.  This week, K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee talks about comprehensive control of pocket gophers.

CONFIRMING RARE SPECIES – It is human nature to take interest in discovering rarely-sighted wildlife species, according to K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.  But it’s one thing to claim such a find…it’s entirely another to confirm it.  The scientific community has wrestled with developing a protocol for such confirmation, and Charlie discusses one proposal along that line.

GUARDIAN DOG STUDY – Bovine tuberculosis is a serious health threat to cattle…and in at least one area of the country, deer are carriers of BT.  That, in turn, raises major concerns when deer interact with cattle and their feeding areas.  A recent study set out to determine if guardian dogs could effectively ward deer away from cattle herds.  K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee reports on the findings of that research.

PRAIRIE DOG POPULATION CONTROL – Prairie dogs remain a thorny wildlife damage control issue in the High Plains region.  A recent study in Colorado tested out a non-lethal method of reducing prairie dog numbers, using a contraceptive product that has proven effective in nuisance bird control.  This week, K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee reviews the results of that research.

THE BENEFICIAL BAT – Most people fear bats, because of their eerie appearance, their nocturnal nature, their swooping flight, and so on.  Actually, they’re a beneficial mammal that deserves to be appreciated, according to K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.  This week, he talks about the insect control advantages of bats, and their general harmlessness.

DEER ANTLER GROWTH – Conventional wisdom among deer herd managers has been that the antler growth on a yearling is a good indicator of the eventual mature size of that animal.  A new study suggests that this is more myth than fact.  K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee reports on this research, saying that it has important implications for trophy deer management on the part of landowners.

EPA CHANGES TO RODENTICIDES – How rodents, such as rats and mice are controlled, especially in the home setting, is changing. In this week’s Outbound Kansas, K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee looks at a number of changes approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. The goal is to protect consumers, but Charlie says there are also some drawbacks to tightening restrictions on the use of rodenticides.

SNAPPING TURTLE CONTROL – There are a lot of unfounded myths out there about the dangers posed by the common snapping turtle, according to K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.  These hard-shelled reptiles are not nearly as threatening to people and fish as some make them out to be.  This week, Charlie talks about the nature and habitat of snapping turtles, and ways of re-locating them when they become a nuisance.

URBAN WILDLIFE DISEASES – It’s becoming a more pressing problem as urban development creeps further into rural areas:  cases of diseases being passed along from wildlife to humans and their pets.  These can be serious situations unless proper precautions are observed, according to K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.  This week, he talks about the scope of the issue, and the three wildlife-borne diseases that are of most concern.

PRESERVING BARN OWLS – Barn owls are exceptional hunters, and are especially proficient at consuming rodents.  That’s why many landowners like to have these owls around.  Unfortunately, their numbers are declining, and K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee is encouraging landowners to do what they can to promote barn owl nesting.  He serves up some ideas along that line on this week’s program.

URBAN COYOTE PROBLEMS – As urban development encroaches further and further into coyote habitat, more cases of coyotes threatening domestic pets, and even humans, have been reported.  This week, wildlife specialist Charlie Lee of K-State looks at the magnitude of this issue, and why coyotes are seemingly more aggressive…which he says is much less of a concern than dog attacks on people.

CREATING HUMMINGBIRD HABITAT – The ruby-throated hummingbird has migrated north to the central Plains.  Many a homeowner likes to attract these fascinating little birds to their setting.  Providing nectar or other artificial feed is but part of the story, according to K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.  Suitable habitat, including certain ornamental flowers, is needed to keep the hummingbirds around throughout the summer.     

BIRDS AND PRAIRIE DOGS – The prairie ecosystem is very complex, as evidenced by a recent study conducted by Colorado State University.  It attempted to gauge the relationship between prairie dog habitat and a couple of prairie bird species that have been declining in recent years.  And there is indeed a strong link there, which is reviewed this week by K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.

KNOWING THE PORCUPINE –The porcupine is not overly abundant in Kansas, but it can occasionally be found in most parts of the state.  Known mostly for its unique defense mechanism, its quills, there are other interesting facets of this large rodent that K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee passes along.   While it has been known on occasion to cause damage to windbreak and landscape trees, the porcupine is, by and large, a harmless species…as long as one doesn’t physically attack it.

ESTABLISHING A BACKYARD POND – For homeowners with limited outdoor space, a backyard pond can be an ideal wildlife habitat, for aquatic and other species.  As with any habitat project, though, this pond needs to be set up appropriately.  K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee offers guidance on that, including an emphasis on establishing aquatic plants as a key component of the pond.

LETHAL WILDLIFE CONTROL – There are occasions when lethal control is the only practical means of dealing with wildlife damage.  And while there are many methods of lethally eliminating problem wildlife, some are preferred over others, according to K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.  He outlines those, as he concludes his series on contending with wildlife damage around the home and farmstead.

PROBLEM WILDLIFE REMOVAL – Once a homeowner positively identifies a wildlife species as the cause for property damage, the next step is to correct the problem.  And one method is to remove the offending animal in a non-lethal way.  There are several options to consider there, and in part three of his series on home and farmstead wildlife damage control, K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee discusses those options.

WILDLIFE DAMAGE RESPONSE – The first step in addressing a wildlife damage problem around the home is accurately identifying which species is at fault.  Once that’s done, the next move is to contend with the situation, which can be done in an assortment of ways.  But that will depend on the animal, according to K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee, as he continues his series this week on wildlife damage control at the home or farmstead.

INSPECTING WILDLIFE DAMAGE – Too often, homeowners jump to conclusions, as to what kind of critter is causing damage to their homes or other property.  K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee advocates a little detective work before acting on the damage.  He says there are numerous signs to look for first, before enacting a wildlife damage control plan.

SPRING SKUNK ACTIVITY – As warmer weather comes on, many people think they’re seeing more skunks than usual around their homes and property.  The truth of the matter is, skunk numbers aren’t really up, according to K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.  He talks about that, and about non-lethal ways of removing skunks from places where they’re not wanted.

CATCH-AND-RELEASE FISHING – Catch-and-release fishing is winning over more and more anglers, according to K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee.  But if the fish doesn’t survive in the process, it defeats the whole purpose of catch-and-release.  This week, Charlie goes over several tips on catching and handling fish that will greatly enhance their survival rate upon release.

PYTHONS IN KANSAS? – It sounds far-fetched, but in the decades to come, parts of Kansas could be dealing with an invasive wildlife species problem that no one would have imagined:  python snakes in the wild.  Wildlife specialist Charlie Lee of K-State says this is a real problem currently in Florida, and is spreading… and that Kansas’ climate could potentially support pythons.  This is based on a detailed study recently completed by the U.S. Geological Survey.  And while the threat is hardly imminent, it does illustrate the broader problem of exotic pets being released into the wild.

SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING OF WILDLIFE – Throughout portions of North America, supplemental feeding of wildlife is commonly used as a management tool. However, this type of artificial feeding can create problems for some wildlife species. In this week’s Outbound Kansas, Charlie Lee looks at the findings of a recent study that sheds some light on the impact supplemental feeding can have on birds, including bobwhite quail.

MERCURY EMISSIONS IMPACT WILDLIFE – On March 15, 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency issued the Clean Air Mercury Rule to permanently cap and reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. However, as K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee discusses in this week’s Outbound Kansas, more needs to be done to protect wildlife from these emissions.

NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTERS – The North American River Otter is one of the more playful mammals you’ll find in Kansas. Although the otters were once abundant in Kansas, their numbers dwindled in the early 1900s and they had to be reintroduced in the 1980s. K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee has more on this fascinating animal on this week’s Outbound Kansas.

MAJOR FISH DISEASE – Wildlife officials in Kansas are keeping a wary eye on a major disease problem afflicting fish in the Great Lakes region.  This condition, called V-H-S, is wiping out fish populations on a grand scale, and doesn’t appear to be particular about the fish species it attacks.  K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee says that the problem has yet to reach Kansas.  However, fishing enthusiasts are being called upon to take several precautions, in the hope that this disease can be staved off.

LARGE PREDATOR CONTROL – In Kansas, coyotes are the most prominent example of large carnivores in the wild.   Occasionally, these predators will roam into human habitat, causing assorted concerns.  There are non-lethal means of controlling large predator damage, with varying degrees of success.  K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee discusses that topic this week.

TRAITS OF THE OPOSSUM – Opossums are commonplace in Kansas, and they rarely, if ever, cause any problems for humans.  Even so, some people don’t like having them around.  While they can easily be re-located, K-State wildlife specialist Charlie Lee encourages people to just leave them alone, for they generally cause no harm.