Evaluation of Wildlife Enhancement Activities in the Residential Context

Abstract

As urbanization and habitat destruction continue, interest in urban wildlife habitat has increased. One type of urban habitat with potential for wildlife is residential habitat. The purpose of this study was to examine household involvement in residential wildlife attraction activities, which included examination of participation 1n these activities and participants' perception of these activities. Funding for this study was provided by the National Wildlife Federation's Conservation Fellowship Program and the Oklahoma Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. The objectives of this study were to evaluate household participation in attraction of wildlife to residential habitat, methods used to attract wildlife, participants' perceptions of success at attraction attempts, and problems and needs of individuals attracting wildlife to their residence. The following report was prepared as four separate and complete manuscripts to facilitate submission to scientific journals for publication. Each manuscript represents a chapter 1n the report. The manuscripts entitled "Methods of Residential Wildlife Attraction", "Predation on Residential Wildlife", and "Wildlife Enhancement Activities in Stillwater, Oklahoma" were written in the style of the WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN. The manuscript entitled "Perceptions of a Residential Wildlife Program'' was written in the style of the TRANSACTIONS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCES CONFERENCE.