Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Urban and suburban areas of southern Nevada are affected each year by a wide variety of wildlife species that cause damage to property and cause concern for human health and safety issues. Integrated wildlife damage management practices are employed in cases where technical assistance and direct control measures are used to resolve problems with wildlife. Nevada’s daytime temperatures often exceed 115ºF (46ºC); therefore, traditional management practices have evolved to match the climate. Nevada is currently the fastest-growing state in the nation, so wildlife damage management practices are ever changing. The increase in urban sprawl provides additional food and habitat availability for several species of wildlife. Anthropogenic food sources produce an unnatural environment. Wildlife damage management activities are therefore needed to resolve a variety of conflicts. These standard operating procedures for wildlife damage management in urban areas were developed to better manage wildlife complaints. Wildlife species collected during damage management activities are tested for various diseases and contaminants.