Leave station wildlife alone

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, NC, UNITED STATES

05.19.2016

Story by Cpl. Jared Lingafelt 

Marine Corps Installations East       

Animals in the wild are often an intriguing spectacle to witness. However, interacting with wildlife is often a dangerous endeavor for both human and animal.

Marine Corps Air Station New River is home to a wide variety of wildlife which shares the same beautiful landscape that Marines, sailors and their families call home.

Many birds, snakes, deer, rodents, raccoons and the American alligator can be found on the station.

American alligators have found their home in the ponds, lakes, rivers and waterways surrounding MCAS New River, the same bodies of water that are often used for recreation by installation personnel. While the animals are fun to watch from a distance, it is important not to interact with them, says David Rogers, a conservation law enforcement officer.

"It is illegal to feed an alligator," said Rogers. "If people feed an alligator, a lot of times the alligator loses its fear of human beings and ends up having to be destroyed. The last thing you want is an alligator that has lost its fear of humans, coming up to one of your children."

In addition to feeding alligators, it is also illegal to trap or hunt American alligators and those who do so will be prosecuted, said Kirk Kropinack, head of Environmental Affairs Department.

Feeding birds on the air station will only attract more, says Kropinack. With a high volume of aircraft traffic in the area, feeding birds endangers the lives of pilots and their crew.

"Here on the air station it is very important that we don’t feed birds," said Kropinack. "Birds and aircraft don’t mix."

In Spring and early parts of the summer, game wardens receive a higher number of calls for baby deer and small birds being found alone in the woods, something that may seem unusual but typically isn’t, said Walt Cotton, a onservation law enforcement officer.

"If you see baby deer somewhere, just leave them alone because usually the mom is nearby," said Cotton.

If patrons have issues with animals inside their home, contact housing but for issues with wildlife outside the home call 911 and dispatch will send someone to help, said Rogers.

"Most people really enjoy observing the wildlife from a distance," said Cotton. "There are plenty of good observation points here … where you can look at the wildlife without really disturbing it."

To report a dangerous situation involving an animal call 911.

• Date Taken: 05.19.2016
• Date Posted: 05.19.2016 11:26
• Story ID: 198549
• Location: MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, NC, US