Glug,
Ponds have pests. We have already spoken of weeds and that they are both beneficial and damaging. Animals are the same. The reason you have a pest is because you do not have control. Froggie, you are a better predator than I; however, it is my responsibility to be the TOP top predator until I can elect better ones. You have to understand the damage pests do to the ecosystem.
Geese are pound poopers. Large flocks of migrating Canada Geese can leave a ton of fertilizer in a pond within a day. This stimulates weeds that they may bring in their feathers e.g. duck weed and elodea. Geese often roost near water. If their path to the water is blocked by a fence, they will not use the pond. This fence can be as simple as a string two foot above the ground or an electric fence. Grape juice concentrates act as a repellent. Coyote, owl and alligator mannequins work if moved regularly. Sound cannon also work. However, humans are not good at this. Use a top predator (read on).
Beaver can clear a thousand dollars of trees within an evening. Therefore, all trees must have tree protectors. If left alone, beaver will split families and occupy many acres of land and cause much damage. Therefore, you must rid yourself of beaver: contact local authorities.
River otter often move into ponds. They will kill all of the fish in a pond just for sport. Immediate action must be taken to rid your pond of them.
Deer come to the pond to drink and often graze on pond plants and move to shrubs and near trees. String fences work against them as a wire around their legs is often death. Moving elk and deer from your property may be as simple as planting alfalfa somewhere away from the pond.
Often pond owners consider lead poisoning. One of my pond owners was shooting a 9 mm at a Great Blue Heron (“I am going to get that great blue herring!!!”) I ask him what he was going to do about the family. Heron often roost with 500 relatives. The best control measure is to fly a top predator like the barn owl. She will not allow others to come to her pond. Beaver pups, otter pups and geese are all dinner to her. She will rake raccoon, nutria, deer and even you if you surprise her. Dogs and cats must be aware.
As an insect predator, you are the greatest Gluggy. The pond owner must maintain control and be the TOP top predator. We are mammals as much a part of the eco-system as any other. We must exert control in our environment; or make habitat for another predator: a barn owl box (or do you want a mountain lion den? (relatively harmless to humans but death on deer). So grab a chair and consider how to kill in the most humane (?) way: recruit a better predator.
PonDoc from the pond
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