Landscape Characteristics Affect Animal Control by Urban Residents

Abstract

"Ecological patterns exist within urban landscapes. Among urban patterns of biodiversity, species occurrences may coincide with interactions between humans and wildlife. However, research focused on consequences of human reaction to interactions with wildlife is limited.We evaluated landscape characteristics of rodent control behavior across two urban landscapes in California, Bakersfield, and in proximity to Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area (SAMO). Our data were collected prior to a recent policy ruling limiting distribution of particular rodent control products. In both locations, local biologists have observed non-target effects of rodent control products among local carnivores. Mice and rats were among the species most targeted in both locations, but squirrels and gophers also were common targets in SAMO. Carnivore species identified by biologists were among those also reported by residents as targeted for control. In both locations, those who reside in single-family structures and among lowerdensity development were more likely to practice rodent control. Species targeted varied by distance to open space in both locations, but by development density in SAMO only. In Bakersfield, control was distributed across the study area, but one cluster of control existed among mainly lower-density, singlefamily residences. In SAMO, clusters of both control (n¼2) and chemical use (n¼3) existed among singlefamily, lower-density areas in proximity to wash channels and relatively lush vegetation. Our results suggest possible pathways for contact between wildlife and rodent control products, but causal linkages between the two are beyond the scope of our data. Similar to other urban ecological processes, human responses to interactions with ecological phenomena may occur at both fine and landscape scales. Furthermore, our results suggest a possible feedback loop of interacting ecological and social phenomena that may provide information about human activities affecting urban wildlife populations."