The Trapper Next-Door
A loud, remarkably incessant cawing, drew me outside one morning to see what the noise was about. Beneath a large flapping crow was a small raccoon dashing across the street. The raccoon ran across my front yard and climbed a nearby tree. Clearly exhausted from the heckling, the little one settled on the lowest branch and closed its eyes. I knew it had fallen asleep when one leg dropped in relaxation, dangling to the side of the branch. Rarely does one have the opportunity to draw wild life that is holding still. I grabbed my sketch book and took advantage of the moment. I was delighted that this creature had found a resting place in my yard.
Fast forward two years. One summer night, my bedroom window open, another sound caught my attention, a sort of chattery-purring sound. I peered out the window and saw the silhouettes of several raccoons making their way down the pine tree in the backyard. I then understood the droppings and foraging scratches in the mulch along the backyard fence. It seemed that my desire to have a wildlife-friendly garden had come to fruition. Having been inspired by “The Book of Wilding” by Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell, I had taken measures to ensure that my suburban garden could be a stepping stone, connecting wild-life in suburbia to larger wild spaces. I was proud of what was happening in my back yard.
Fast forward one more year. A sound of distress at 3 am. My mind first went to my chickens, surely their coop was secure enough… I grabbed a flashlight, and upon opening the side door, I heard a chattery-scream from the neighbors backyard. Shining my flashlight over the fence I could see the form of a raccoon. It seemed to be communicating with another ‘coon. The chickens were fine, but what about the family of raccoons? Next morning when I mentioned it at breakfast, my son said he had seen a large trap in the neighbors backyard. My heart sank. Two more times that week I heard the chattery-scream in the wee hours of the morning. The raccoon family was being thinned night by night. The next time I had an opportunity, I asked the woman next door what her husband had done with the raccoons. Her answer, “you don’t want to know”. Disheartened, I wrote and recorded this short poem:
I recongnize that wild-life can be controversial. We don’t want pests in our homes, we want to protect our domesticated animals, we want our gardens to be pristine. But the truth is, life is not pristine, especially wildlife. Wildlife, however, provides biodiversity that is crucial to a thriving planet, and also is diminishing at an alarming rate. (Learn more about humanely dealing with wild animals here.)
I am not and ecologist, so I will not attempt to explain how the extinction of a single species can have a cascading effect in the environment. However, in “The Book of Wilding” authors Isabella Tree (an ecologist) and Charlie Burrell (a farmer), give insight into the way individual species affect each other and the environment. In the book they also outline plans for creating wild space in both large land areas, and smaller suburban and urban areas. In this interview with Isabella Tree, she describes how she and her husband transformed their depleted farm land into a thriving and economically productive wild space. Though transforming large plots of land isn’t an accessible or even desirable plan for most of us, ultimately all space matters, wild, urban, or otherwise. As the authors point out, many small hospitable places add up to something bigger. I will certainly continue to do what I can to make my backyard hospitable. In an effort to promote more thoughtful interactions with wild animals, here is a link to the Wildlife Conflict Resolution Guide by the Humane Society. I hope more people will consider its suggestions before trapping and killing animals.
