RACCOONS AND KOI PONDS - NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK
RACCOONS AND KOI PONDS - NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK
Raccoons tend to receive a mixed reputation, as some people admire them and find them adorable, while others consider them a nuisance. If you are a fish enthusiast with an outdoor koi pond, chances are you fall into the latter group. Raccoons are omnivorous scavengers that will eat almost anything, making them a real threat to your koi pond. A hungry raccoon will not pass up an opportunity for a fishing trip in the backyard of a Long Island home with a koi pond.
Several animals could be to blame if fish are missing from your koi pond. Fortunately, raccoons do not pose the greatest threat to koi in the arena of koi pond predators on Long Island, which also include herons. However, raccoons aren't a threat to be taken lightly and should be dealt with appropriately to ensure the safety of your koi. In most cases, you can prevent problems with these nocturnal critters by taking proactive measures to ensure that you are not attracting raccoons. Designing a koi pond in a manner that significantly reduces the aquatic hunting abilities of raccoons is crucial. If raccoons have discovered your koi pond, several options exist to get rid of the masked bandits.
PROTECTING KOI FROM RACCOONS - LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK
If you have yet to have a problem with raccoons visiting your pond, you almost definitely will at some point in time if you do not keep your trash cans sealed. The same applies if you have bird feeders in your backyard or leave bowls of food outside for pets or feral cats. Unfortunately, once the word has gotten out among the raccoon community that the koi pond in your backyard is the newest fishing hotspot, you will, in all likelihood, continue to have issues with raccoons feasting on your fish. By the time you have become aware that the nocturnal masked bandits are visiting your koi pond, they may have already snatched several of your prized fish. A koi pond with sloping banks and shallow shelves invites predatory wildlife to explore it and puts your fish at risk. Therefore, ensure that the pond edges drop off sharply when designing your koi pond. A large koi pond that is more than four feet deep at its deepest point and has many hiding places will significantly decrease or eliminate your fish's encounters with nuisance wildlife. Aquatic plants such as water lilies, water lettuce, and water hyacinths will provide your fish additional coverage to swim under and hide from lurking predators above. Aside from the aesthetic benefits of aquatic plants in your pond, they provide shade, which will help to keep the water cooler and reduce algae growth. The plants will also protect the koi from direct sunlight and serve as biological filters by absorbing excess nutrients in the pond water. Pond netting is also a proven and effective method for keeping predators, including herons, out of your pond. Netting will also catch most debris, including leaves, before it even hits your pond. However, a net covering your koi pond may prove to be an eyesore and take away from the beauty of the pond. Installing an electric fence is a highly effective technique for deterring nuisance wildlife. An electric fence around your koi pond is made up of two wires that are six and twelve inches above the ground. A programmable timer can be installed so the electric fence is only active at night.
RACCOON TRAPPING & KOI PONDS - NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK
If your attempts to get rid of the raccoons that are visiting your koi pond have failed, you may want to consider contacting the wildlife control operators at Nassau County Nuisance Wildlife Removal Services. Our animal control experts will determine the best strategy to resolve your raccoon issue. Wildlife control in Nassau County, New York, is achieved via animal trapping, habitat modification, and wildlife exclusion. Our wildlife trappers will humanely trap the raccoons that are harvesting fish from your pond. The wildlife experts will suggest modifications that can be made to make your property and koi pond less attractive to raccoons and explore what options are available to exclude raccoons from your koi pond.
