Reprieve

This week WES received a call about a trapped mother opossum. She was being blamed for getting inside a chicken coop and killing chickens, even though it could have been raccoons.

It was not a legal "take" - the homeowner did not know there were regulations he had to follow in order to trap "nuisance" wildlife, and, ultimately, he did not want to see it killed - he just didn't want to lose any more chickens.

The long-term solution, then, is to build a better chicken coop - one that not only keeps livestock contained but keeps predators out.


Once on scene, WES responders removed the opossum from the trap and into an animal crate, then spent some time with the homeowner, going over some ways to predator-proof his pens.

As for the opossum, she received a nutritious meal and was released later that night, nearby.