Moorhead resident Donna Morse wasn't in her current South Rivershore Drive home during the 1997 flood, but she says the previous owner tells of an unusual visitor that spring: a beaver that took up in the backyard swimming pool.
As rising water displaces wildlife, or temporarily expands the habitat of aquatic creatures, it's not an uncommon phenomenon. Animals ranging from deer to raccoons to wild turkeys can find their usual haunts rendered impassable by flooding, scattering into areas where humans may not expect to find them.
To get a handle on flood-driven animal behavior - and a few tips on how to deal with it should it come your way - The Forum tracked down North Dakota game and fish biologist Doug Leier.
The bottom line: Animals adapt better than we may think, and just because they're in our yards doesn't mean they want our help.
Q: What kinds of animals are most affected by flooding?
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A: Anything along rivers or creeks is going to be most obvious. Probably right now the most visible is going to be deer and turkeys. I saw two wild turkeys running around the yards of my own neighborhood, which is rather unique. It can be anywhere. Once the animals are displaced, it's not like they have a prior central location where they're going to go meet at.
... This time of year is also natural time of distribution for wildlife. They're dispersing anyway because of spring relocation.
Do animals sense the flood is coming, or does it catch them by surprise?
They know it's time to move on. It's a natural cycle, and it's been going on forever. Their movement seems abnormal to us because we're not used to seeing them. It's normal to them because they're reacting to water that's displacing them.
Is it harmful to any particular species?
There are some visible things. After the 1997 flood, there were maybe thousands of carp that got trapped ... waters recede and fish are displaced. But it all works in that cycle.
... You can end up with birds nesting in areas that flood. But even if a nest is wiped out, birds will re-nest. In the long run, it isn't a detriment to the species.
What should people in areas with displaced animals do?
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Close your shed doors, close your garage doors, have your window wells covered. When someone calls and says they have a raccoon in their garage, the first question is, how did it get in there? They're not going to try to push themselves in. If the door's open and it's warm and dry, you can't blame 'em.
Our human instinct is we're helping animals by trying to take them inside or care for them. They don't want your help - they really don't. They don't want to go inside any more than we want to spend a night out in the bushes. They don't even want you to come touch them. Animals carry diseases, and their response is going to be to scratch or bite or try to fight you.
If you give it 24 hours, generally, they're going to move somewhere else. They really don't want to be around people.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Marino Eccher at (701) 241-5502
