Understanding Wildlife Habitat

What is Wildlife Habitat?

The kind of place where an…
– Animal
– Bird
– Fish
– or plant live in a natural state.
 Elements of
Habitat

• COVER
• FOOD
• WATER
These elements must be
• SPACE kept in a favorable balance
for Wildlife to survive.
 Balance means…
• Elements are available in adequate amounts
• Are of high enough quality to meet the needs of
animals
• Are distributed where animals need them
 Carrying Capacity
• Number of animals a habitat can support over a
given period of time
• Not a constant number
• Changes as the condition of the habitat changes
 Providing Cover
• Breeding area
• Nesting area
• Hiding place
• Resting place
• Safe place to sleep
• Feeding area; and
• Travel route
 How can we help??
• Growing vegetation
• Provide structures
• Learn cover needs
• Plant trees and shrubs of various sizes and species
• Nest boxes for wood ducks
• Conifer plantings for ruffed grouse

**Provide vegetative travel lanes between types of cover

 Providing food
• Animals must eat
– Get food by grazing
– Killing
– Eating other animals
• Bird feeder (small scale)
• Larger feeding stations
 Can be harmful?
• If not done properly
• Animals (deer) may become too dependant
• May encourage overpopulations
 Alternative to feeding…
• Encourage growth of natural sources of
food
• Plant trees
– Wild apple trees
• Crops
– Wild rice
• Plant crops that provide both food and
shelter for animals and birds.