Meandering Thoughts on the Mild Winter
With the mild winter we’re having here this year, I began wondering exactly what effects it’ll have on wildlife. Although I’m no scientist or animal biologist, it’s apparent to me that the absence of what we refer to as a traditional winter will affect wildlife species in numerous ways. We may enjoy the warmer weather, but things such as normal winterkill and a better survival rate could have a dramatic impact on the health and size of wildlife populations.
An increased size in population can have varying effects, especially in areas where the wildlife has to compete with civilization for habitat. Everything from food supply shortage, more deer/vehicle collisions and crop damage by wildlife could be possible results. Sure, the short-term effects all seem ok, but what are the true reaches of the long-term effects of the lack of normal winters?
Besides the ones I mentioned above, there are also issues of increased diseases and sicknesses from the effects of milder winters and the survival of parasites target wildlife. An over-abundance of ticks, for example, could possibly create a rise in the number of cases of lyme disease. That is just one example of many.
These are just some things I was thinking about this morning. I haven’t done a lot of researching to find facts or statistics to back it up, but I’m sure they would be easy enough to find when I have time. I never meant for these musing to be solid, scientific facts, but rather the sharing of some meandering thoughts that may be food for thought for some of you.
What are your thoughts?
hunting, wildlife, health, weather
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