Poison Ivy is a woody shrub or vine. The vine climbs by aerial rootlets that cling readily to trees. Three leaflets borne on a single petiole make up the leaf. Each leaflet can be up to four inches long and is dark, waxy, and shiny green above and lighter green and fuzzy beneath. The flowers grow like berries on very thin stems. During the summer, the flowers are lost and the leaves turn fire-engine red. All parts of the plant have the oily irritant urushiol which makes it “poisonous” (ex. leaves, stems, branches and roots). This oily substance can be found even on dead or dormant parts of the plant. It affects exposed skin and can contaminate clothing, tools and other objects (including pets). Contact with urushiol can produce a rash in three out of four people. The rash can begin within a few hours or may take three to five days to develop. It starts with an itchy feeling, the formation of red inflammation and tiny pimples, followed by blisters. The fluid in the blisters hardens to a yellow crust. Left untreated, the rash will last from three to five weeks. The determining factors in a person’s response to exposure to poison ivy include the number of times the person has been exposed in the past and the sensitivity of the individual. Minimal or limited exposures to these plants can often be cared for without the need for medical attention. However, some people are highly allergic to urushiol. If a rash develops within four hours of exposure and the eyes swell shut and blisters form, medical assistance should be sought immediately.
The Tenafly Nature Center does not take injured or orphaned wildlife! An animal’s best chance of survival is in the care of its own mother. If you have you found a young bird out of the nest follow the Tenafly Nature Center’s advice to determine whether it has fallen from the nest prematurely, or if being out of the nest is its intention.
Here are several things that you can try:
- Wait; often the woodpecker will leave after a week or so.
- Install silver bird flash tape, which can be purchased at gardening stores.
- Place a plastic owl outside near the area the woodpecker strikes.
- Put up “scare-eye” balloons in the damaged areas. These are balloons with large eyes painted on; they resemble the face of an owl and frighten the woodpeckers. The balloons can be bought or made.
Here are some solutions to this problem:
- Do something to break or stop the reflection: close your curtains, put up shapes on the window, or hang streamers in the window. In extreme cases the window may need to be covered from the outside for a few days.
- Put up a silhouette of a hawk in your window.
- Put a dark see through liner over your window.
- Here are some more ideas on how you can save birds from flying into windows.
- Float a number of beach balls in the pool.
- Purchase Mylar streamers, which are available in the crepe paper section at most party stores. Place three-foot high stakes in the ground at each corner of the pool, then stretch the Mylar from stake to stake across the pool to form an “X.” The flashing, uneven movement of the streamers normally frightens the birds away.
- Purchase “Scare Eye Balloons” at a wild bird store to float in your pool.
- Use a pool cover until swim season begins and /or when you are away on vacation. Place a lightweight cover, such as a solar cover, over the pool when it is not being used.
A mother duck will lay an 1-2 eggs every day until up to 15 eggs have been laid. She wants all the eggs to hatch at the same time so the mother duck does not start sitting on the nest and incubating the eggs until all are laid. Eggs hatch about 28 days after incubation begins.
The best course of action for you to take at this point is to:
- Keep pets inside or on a leash when they are in the yard.
- Explain to children that the mother duck must not be disturbed.
- Prepare for the ducklings by building a stairway on your pool steps. Baby ducks have no oils in their “down” when they hatch and they may become water-logged and drown if they cannot escape to dry land. They will enter the pool and not be able to get out unless you give them a ramp (a board covered with a towel or other cloth to provide traction) or provide a stairway.
- Keep the water level in your pool a little lower than usual. If you leave it low enough so that water just barely enters the skimmer, the float will not block the babies from escaping the skimmer should they enter it. The danger to baby ducks does not come from the pump circulation, but from the flapper that traps debris (and baby ducks) in the skimmer. With the correct water level, you should be able to run your pump as usual without harming or trapping the ducklings. Always leave the brick steps or ramp in place when you lower the water level or the ducklings will not be able to leave the pool. Be sure to check the level often so that the water level does not drop below the bottom of the skimmer opening. Tell the person who cleans your pool to leave the water at the appropriate level when hatching day approaches.
During the 20th century, migratory geese were captured for use as live decoys. The resident Canada geese are the descendents of these captive migratory geese. The captured geese, flight feathers clipped, sometimes with light weights on their legs, lured other migratory Canada geese into lakes, wetlands and rivers during the great Canada geese migrations in the spring and fall. These captive geese were also bred in captivity. As a consequence, their descendents do not have biological need to migrate to Canada since geese nest in the area where they were born. GeesePeace is a program that helps resolve conflicts with Canada geese, economically, humanely and without controversy.
Another problem is that food handouts result in large numbers of birds competing for very limited food supplies in small, concentrated areas. Such crowding and competition for food, combined with the stresses of unhealthy food and harsh weather, increase their susceptibility of life-threatening diseases – diseases like avian cholera, duck plaque, and avian botulism, which have the potential to kill off large numbers of waterfowl.
Also of increasing public concern is the damage waterfowl cause to parks, golf courses, and residential lawns where large numbers of birds graze, trample, and defecate on the grass. Excess nutrients in ponds caused by waterfowl droppings may also result in water quality problems such as noxious algal blooms in the summertime.
The end result can be a continuing cycle of the birds becoming nuisances and being subjected to diseases that can spread like the common cold in humans.
To get rid of a trapped animal: Use a Havahart® trap (TNC Members may borrow one from TNC) and released back on your own property.
If releasing the animal on your property is impossible then the animal must be released within the township of origin in suitable habitat and with permission from the landowner. If no private land is available for release, the New Jersey Division of Wildlife may approve a release on the closest state Wildlife Management Area on a case by case basis.
Persons wishing to release a nuisance or rehabilitated adult rabies vector species must first contact the Office of Permit Management at 609-292-2966. For more information on relocating animals in New Jersey please see the State of New Jersey – Policy on the relocation of wildlife.
It is prohibited to release any wildlife on Tenafly Nature Center Property. No releases are allowed on federal, state, county or municipal land. No releases within the township may be greater than a 10-mile distance from the capture site for raccoons and 5 miles for skunks and woodchucks.
- Keep garbage cans in your garage until morning of trash day
- Use metal cans only and keep them closed with bungee cords
- Try a spray (brand name “Ro-pel) that tastes bad, to be used on trash cans and bags. You may find it in local hardware stores (ex. Benjamin Brothers).
Woodchucks are burrowing animals and hibernate during the winter months. They become active in March when the males are seeking mates, high activity, however, does not occur until the young are born and warm weather sets in. Litter size averages four and young are dropped in late April or May. Young are born blind and naked and are weaned in six to eight weeks. Woodchucks have one litter per year and by July, shortly after weaning, the young disperse and frequently take up occupancy in abandoned dens. Woodchucks are strict vegetarians and normally range no more than a half mile from their dens.
To get rid of a woodchuck. We suggest that you use a Havahart® trap (TNC Members may borrow one from TNC), and released on your own property. If releasing the animal on your property is impossible then the animal must be released within the township of origin in suitable habitatand with permission from the landowner. If no private land is available for release, the New Jersey Division of Wildlife may approve a release on the closest state Wildlife Management Area on a case by case basis.
Persons wishing to release a nuisance or rehabilitated adult rabies vector species must first contact the Office of Permit Management at 609-292-2966. For more information on relocating animals in New Jersey please see the State of New Jersey – Policy on the relocation of wildlife.
It is prohibited to release any wildlife on Tenafly Nature Center Property. No releases are allowed on federal, state, county or municipal land. No releases within the township may be greater than a 10-mile distance from the capture site for raccoons and 5 miles for skunks and woodchucks.
Information provided directly above also applies to raccoon and skunk removal.
Other solutions you might try:
- Set up a squirrel feeding station away from your bird feeders.
- Use bird seed mixes that contain a spicy pepper-like substance that squirrels supposedly find distasteful.
- We do not suggest that your attempt to live-trap the squirrels and move them to another locations. Other squirrel populations typically just move in.
- Use seed trays under your feeders to catch the birdseed that is being discarded and clean up the discarded seed and debris from under your feeders frequently.
Persons wishing to release a nuisance or rehabilitated adult rabies vector species must first contact the Office of Permit Management at 609-292-2966. For more information on relocating animals in New Jersey please see the State of New Jersey – Policy on the relocation of wildlife.
It is prohibited to release any wildlife on Tenafly Nature Center Property. No releases are allowed on federal, state, county or municipal land. No releases within the township may be greater than a 10-mile distance from the capture site for raccoons and 5 miles for skunks and woodchucks.
For more information on rabies and other wildlife transmitted diseases please visit the State of New Jersey Department of Health website.
According to the State of New Jersey Department of Health the only permanent method to get rid of bats from a home, and keep them out, is to exclude them by bat-proofing. There are no chemicals registered in New Jersey for killing bats, and the use of unregistered pesticides only increases the chances that children and pets will come in contact with bats that are ill from poisoning.
For more information on bats found here in New Jersey please visit the State of New Jersey Department of Health website
There are bats in Central America that feed on blood, known as vampire bats. All of the bats found here in New Jersey are insect eaters; a bat can consume hundreds of insects in an hour. Think of the mosquito problems we would have without bats! Bats are actually quite harmless and are important indicators of a healthy environment. Since they are vulnerable to pollution and pesticides, their presence or absence can tell scientists a lot about the overall health of the local environment.
The Tenafly Nature Center does not take injured or orphaned wildlife! An animal’s best chance of survival is in the care of its own mother. If you have you found a young squirrel out of the nest follow the Tenafly Nature Center’s advice to determine whether it has fallen from the nest prematurely, or if being out of the nest is its intention.
Only recently have public views changed as people have become increasingly interested in wilderness preservation and the conservation and restoration of wildlife species historically found in these areas. The Lakota Wolf Preserve in Columbia, NJ is one area visitors can see these elusive predators.
While black bears do reside in New Jersey they are not commonly seen in Tenafly and Eastern Bergen County. The most common bear problem New Jersey’s residents experience is black bears getting into their garbage. Bears are attracted to neighborhoods by garbage odors, so properly securing your garbage is one of the best ways to prevent bears from becoming a nuisance in your community.
It is important to remember that black bears are large, wild animals. If you see a black bear, you should never go near it. Instead, watch it from far away. Never feed or try to pet a black bear. Black bears learn very quickly and if they learn to associate people with food, they may lose their fear of people, which can be dangerous for both the bear and for peoeple.
Please treat black bears with respect and if you see a bear here are some tips that you should follow:
- Do not get scared and do not run.
- Talk to the bear to let it know you are there.
- Never feed the bear!
- Do not go near the bear.
- Do not look directly into the bear’s eyes.
- Make sure the bear can get out of your yard or pathway easily if it wants to. Don’t stand in front of the escape route!
- Make lots of noise. It could scare the bear away.
- If you are playing with friends, get in a big group. Talk and wave your arms. You will look really big and the bear might leave.
- Childrend should be reminded to always tell parents if they see a bear.
- Bears can make a lot of noise, so they may huff, snap their jaws and slap the ground if they think you are too close. Back away slowly.
- A bear that stands on its back legs is not about to attack you. It just wants to see and smell you better. Let a bear know you are there by waving your arms and talking to it.
- Bears may pretend to attack by running at you. DO NOT RUN! Back away slowly and get to a safe area.
- Black bears rarely hurt people. If a black bear attacks, fight back!.
The State of New Jersey has a lot of information on Black Bears in New Jersey and is a good resoure for many quewstions.
It generally takes at least 36 hours after attachment for a deer tick to infect its host with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. This and other basic information can be found on a fact sheet for parents that was developed by the Hunterdon County Department of Health.
NO! Although the Tenafly Nature Center receives hundreds of calls annually from pet parents looking to rehome their unwanted family member, TNC does not have the facilities nor the capability to help everyone.
If you have a pet turtle and you no longer have the ability or desire to care for it do not release it into the wild. It is illegal to release pet turtles into the wild and it is also prohibited to release any animal at the Tenafly Nature Center. This can spread disease and hurt native turtle populations as well as other animals.
Turtles known as Red Eared Sliders (which are the most common unwanted turtle) are not native to New Jersey, originally they are from the Southeastern United States. However, due primarily to the pet trade their distribution has expanded. They are now present in many areas of the world, to the point of being called one of the 100 “World’s Worst” invaders by the Invasive Species Specialist Group. Many people who want a pet turtle find out that the New Jersey Department of Health mandates that turtles and tortoises cannot be sold in New Jersey. Getting a turtle as a pet can be a long term commitment as many species can live for 30-50 years and some are known to live for ~100 years.
So what can you do if you no longer want your turtle?
For most native species of turtles you can contact Garden State Tortoise.
For Red Eared Sliders Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary may have some helpful answers for you and your situation.
- If the turtle is large (with a long tail), it may be a snapping turtle, they can be aggressive so don’t attempt picking them up. You can still help it across the road by pushing it from behind with a blunt object or scooping it up with a shovel.
- When picking up a small turtle, grasp it on either side of its shell behind the front legs. The turtle will still be able to kick at you, but many will choose to stay safely tucked in, during the short time you are moving them.
- NEVER PICK UP A TURTLE BY THE TAIL. This can injure the animals very badly.
- Hold them far away from your body and keep the turtle low to the ground when moving them. Even small turtles have surprising strength. If a turtle pushes free of your grip, you do not want it to fall and injure itself.
- Make sure to put the turtle in the direction it was heading, never turn them around! The turtle knows the direction it wants to go, and if you turn it around, it will simply turn around to its original direction and continue on its path (possibly back across the road when you drive away).
- NEVER REMOVE A TURTLE FROM THE AREA YOU FOUND IT! Although you may be tempted to relocate a turtle, please don’t. Many turtles have “Home Ranges”, a territory they call home, and when removed/relocated, they will spend their life trying to find their way back to the range they were removed from. Besides risking many additional road crossings, some turtles, if they cannot find their way back will stop eating and wander listlessly.
BCAS is a county operated shelter providing animal control to many communities in Bergen County, including Tenafly. They also respond to calls for sick or injured wildlife to any of their contracted towns and will pick up dead animals on public property during normal business hours. For a fee payable by the resident they will pick up dead animals on private property.
They are not a pest control service and will not remove healthy wildlife from private property. The only exception is that they will remove wildlife from living quarters for a fee payable by the resident at the time of the service. This does not include animals in attics, basements, garages, chimneys, or sheds.
Visit their website to see if your town has an animal control contract with Bergen County Animal Shelter or contact your local municipality for more information.
To find out if we have space for your unwanted pet you may email our staff.
- Main Office in Trenton:New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Division of Fish and Wildlife
Mail Code 501-03
P.O. Box 420 Trenton, NJ 08625-0420
Walk-ins: 501 E. State St., 3rd Floor
E-mail the Division of Fish & Wildlife
General Information 609-292-2965
Wildlife Management 609-292-6685
Wildlife Management Area Information 609-984-0547 - Northern Region Office (Clinton WMA)
26 Rt. 173
West Hampton, NJ 08827
Wildlife Management: 908-735-7040
Wildlife Management Area Information: 973-383-0918