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Cultural Control Defined

Cultural Control encompasses those practices which modify the habitat or change the access for the offending animals while not physically or chemically preventing their access to the property or physically harming the animal.

For example, modifying a bird feeder so as to stop squirrels from feeding on it is an excellent cultural control practice. Cleaning up debris piles to remove rodent harborage is another example of a cultural control practice.

Tips to keep in mind

1. Cultural Control Practices are rarely a quick fix because the offending animals don't just disappear. However, over the long term, cultural practices are exceptionally cost effictive in mitigating damage.

2. Cultural Control Practices require landowners to change their behavior. You may be forced to make unwanted decisions such as removing a beloved tree or changing the timing of your activity.

3. Cultural Control Practices rarely resolve an animal damage problem completely. The key word here is mitigate as in reduce rather than eliminate.

We hope, however, that you will find this information helpful in making more informed and responsible wildlife damage management decisions.

Cultural Control Methods

Most University and Government animal damage control publications will include cultural control method information as a section within the entire publication. If you have a specific species in mind that you wish to control, visit

• Birds
• Mammals
• Reptiles & Amphibians

Guard Animals--

Guard animals are used to protect livestock from predation by coyotes. However, research is being done to use guard animals to protect crops from deer as well.

• dogs,
• llamas,
• donkeys, etc
• Resources:
  • Booklet on Using Guard Animals--Missouri Dept. of Conservation  
  • Guidelines for Using Donkeys-Ontario Provincial Document 
  • Llamas as Livestock Guarding Animals--Iowa State University PDF
  • Info on Using Donkeys-Texas Dept of Ag.
  • Raising and training a livestock guarding dog

  News

  • Sept 30, 2006. Debris encourages wildlife problems in New Orleans. NOLA.com