WILDLIFE CONTROL AND RELOCATION SPECIALIST

This is not a job for the timid. You've got to be fearless—not afraid to get down on your belly and crawl into small spaces, grab a ladder and climb to the very top of a roof, or duck and poke through spider webs and darkness in search of a hole or nest. The work can be dangerous; wild animals often have teeth and claws and won't hesitate to bite if they're afraid or are trying to protect themselves or their young.

You also have to be strong and healthy. You'll be working in rain or sunshine, in the hot summer or the dead of winter, in icy cold basements and scorching attics. You'll be carrying cages and loading and unloading equipment from your truck. You'll be on your hands and knees peeking into cracks and holes and pulling yourself onto rooftops to inspect chimneys and vents.

But strength isn't all you'll need. You'll also have to be good with people, as your customers will probably be right there with you as you do your work. You'll need to know how to be patient and how to explain what you're doing when customers ask. Wildlife control and relocation specialists have two major jobs. First, they remove problematic wildlife from urban areas—places where there are lots of people, homes, cars, and businesses. Second, they try to prevent wildlife from reentering those areas by relocating animals to their natural environment. The goal is to use humane techniques any time an animal is trapped or handled to avoid causing stress or injuries.

One way wildlife control and relocation workers prevent animals from entering homes is by placing sturdy steel screens over potential entryways like chimneys and vents. This prevents birds from flying down chimneys and into houses, and animals like squirrels and chipmunks from squeezing their way through air vents and into attics. Another way to discourage animals from reentering a home in which wildlife once lived is by deodorizing. Deodorizing removes the animal's scent. If the scent isn't removed, other animals will be tempted to come and investigate.

Once an animal is removed—usually with the use of harmless traps—it is relocated. The wildlife control and relocation professional drives the animal to a place where it is safe, can find food and shelter, and can live comfortably with other wildlife—like a park, for example. If the animal were relocated to a place where it wasn't comfortable, it would probably just try to enter another home or building.