Hello, friends and neighbours in Burlington! Thank you for having a quick read. Today, we will talk about a topic as vast as it is close to the heart of our closely-knit community. We’ll dive into the complex and fascinating topic of land development in our area and the impact it has on the local wildlife population.
As experts who’ve dedicated years to tackling the challenge of wildlife and pest removal, we bring a unique viewpoint to this discussion. Our local operations have transformed into an evolving case study of the Burlington area, allowing us not only to protect your homes from critter encounters but also to map the changing behaviours of our wild neighbours in response to land development. The main species affected are raccoons, rodents, bats, skunks, birds, and squirrels.
Burlington, Ontario: Urban Growth
Burlington—our charming location poised between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario—has grown leaps and bounds over the years. Once a serene and modest community, we’ve proudly evolved into a prosperous urban area, boasting a high standard of living and rich historical heritage.
However, this urban growth story has an aspect we often forget—its repercussions on the natural ecosystems we share with our wild neighbours. The land development required to accommodate Burlington’s expanding population and urban infrastructure has been an unwelcome imposer on the habitats of our furry and feathered companions—raccoons, rodents, bats, skunks, birds, and squirrels.
The Species-by-Species Impact of Urban Development
The transition from a sleepy suburb to a busy city has unfolded a variety of ecological narratives.
- Adaptable and nimble, raccoons are entering our neighbourhoods with little fear of humans, often breaking into homes to find shelter.
- Rodents, too, are charting new territories as they are often found living in attics waiting for the house to be quiet so they can access food and water.
- Bats, struggling to sustain their roosting spots in nature due to land transformations, find building crevices, attics and lofts an inviting alternative.
- Shy yet crafty, skunks find themselves wedged into an unsettling face-off with humans as their territories increasingly overlap with expanding cityscapes. Increasingly they are making their homes under decks and sheds on suburban properties.
- Bird populations are also displaced—some species are exhibiting unprecedented adaptability to urban environments, while others are struggling to cope.
- Squirrels, bearing the brunt of the rapid land metamorphosis, are finding new homes within our homes—be it in attics or within the walls of your home.
More and More Conflicts with Wildlife
The inevitable result is a heightened rate of wildlife encounters within our homes. As wild territories diminish, local wildlife species are pushed towards exploring human properties in their quest for survival, causing an uptick in human-wildlife conflict.
At Home Free Wildlife and Pest Removal, we’ve been the witnesses and resolvers of countless such encounters. We’ve addressed situations from evacuating a single critter to complex scenarios involving multiple critters like entire raccoon families. But irrespective of the situation’s complexities, our primary goal remains unchanged—we pledge to the safety and well-being of our clients and the critters. Our humane removal techniques conscientiously aim to keep all critters unharmed and your home permanently critter-free.
Balance Between Urban Growth and Wildlife Conservation
Our vision at Home Free Wildlife and Pest Removal is to foster a harmonious Burlington that sees urban development evolve hand in hand with wildlife conservation. Our commitment to ensuring every wildlife intervention is as humane to the critters as it is safe and effective for our residents is a testament to this vision.
Remember, we are available to help with any and all wildlife and pest issues. Reach out to us anytime—be it for an emergency wildlife intrusion, preventive services, or even to satiate your curiosity about local wildlife.
We look forward to working with you and the community at large as we progress towards these goals. Please contact us for all your wildlife and pest prevention and removal needs.