Nuisance Wildlife in Chattanooga, TN
Located on the Tennessee River in the southeastern section of the state, the city of Chattanooga is home to more than 180,000 residents and plenty of wild animals that can easily become pests if they get too close to homes and businesses.
Chattanooga has been named by the New York Times as one of the “Top 45 Places to Go” in the world! And with good reason. The Appalachian Mountains of Southeast Tennessee and the Tennessee River provide residents and tourists easy access to natural beauty, outdoor activities, and urban amenities such as hotels, restaurants, retail stores, galleries, and more.
Chattanooga underwent a remarkable transformation in recent years, spearheaded by a program to get artists and retailers to move into town. Highly successful, Chattanooga is increasing at an annual rate of 0.73% as of 2022. While this growth has been quite positive for Chattanooga, it begins to encroach on the habitats of the wildlife around it, forcing some to adapt to living close to people and industry. When this happens, wildlife sometimes becomes a nuisance that needs to be removed from homes and businesses.
The Tennessee Wildlife Federation has labeled the state “the most biologically diverse inland state.” The state is home to a variety of fish, mammals, reptiles, invertebrates, and bird species. And much of this wildlife is close to Hamilton, Catoosa, Dade, and Walker Counties, which comprise the Chattanooga metro area.
In addition, Chattanooga’s cool winters and hot, humid summers, along with the population growth of the area, create a need for wildlife to look outside of their usual habitats for food, water, and shelter.
Throughout the night, these animals are on the move looking for food and have been known to topple over trash bins and gobble pet food. If they’re not looking for an easy-to-access trash bin, raccoons may also make their way to your attic or chimney in search of the perfect denning site. If you live in the Chattanooga area and find a raccoon, or signs of the presence of raccoons on your property, reach out to Critter Control rather than try to remove the animals yourself. Although raccoons are a hunted species in Tennessee, keep in mind that raccoons can not only get aggressive—they also carry diseases such as rabies.
Like all cities big and small, Chattanooga has rodent problems. Whenever humans, buildings, and food come together, chances are rodents will join in the mix. If you happen to notice signs of rats or mice on your around your property, reach out to Critter Control as soon as possible before the number of rodents present multiplies.
The state is home to five species of squirrels. Chattanooga residents are familiar with the sight of squirrels running across yards and parks. Many people enjoy watching squirrels; however, if they get too close to home, or worse, make their way inside your home, they can cause quite a bit of stress and make an unsightly mess. For many people, the simplest solution to a squirrel invasion is to scare the animal back outside. Instead of this, please call a professional to handle squirrel removal, safely, efficiently, and humanely.
Tennessee is home to
fifteen bat species, including the federally endangered
gray bat, which can be observed when they emerge from
Nickajack Cave in Chattanooga for their evening feeding flight. While many people enjoy watching bats take flight, they can become quite a nuisance if they happen to create a roost inside your attic. If this happens inside your home, please contact Critter Control as soon as possible. And please do not try to remove a bat yourself as the state of Tennessee regulates
bat removal.
Opossums are prevalent around Chattanooga. If you see an opossum in your yard, it is best to ignore it. They usually move on from a location within a few days. In the meantime, they will probably eat pests like ticks or rodents.
If you’ve got one in your home, you know it’s there. They are noisy animals. They scream, hiss, thump and bump. They can truly be annoying at any time during the day or night.Opossums will also leave feces and urine wherever they go. If you have a nuisance opossum in your house or udner a deck, call us to
evict opossums early.
Both
Eastern spotted skunks and
spotted skunks are found throughout the state of Tennessee, and Chattanooga has plenty of them. Skunks often visit yards in search of food and a safe place to burrow. In Tennessee, both species can be legally hunted for their pelts. That said, if you have a nuisance skunk or two in your yard, it’s best to rely on professional handling and skunk trapping and avoid getting sprayed.