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By Tom Lovrić
If you live in the country, one of the issues you’ll face is a constant animal invasion. They don’t do it on purpose, really – if you think about it, you’re the one who moved into their territory.
In an ideal world, you could share the area with them, and to achieve that, you’ll have to mark your territory the same way they do.
Based on research and my own experience, there are a few species you need to look out for the most, and in this article, I’ll tell you a bit about them, and we’ll see exactly what dangers they may pose.
Before we start, though, I’d like to insert a disclaimer.
The animals discussed in this article usually don’t mean you any harm. In fact, they’re mostly not interested in you or your family, and they’ll never attack you unless they’re threatened or starving.
They’re mostly interested in your crops and/or livestock, so they’re naturally attracted to your home. Getting physically close to you is what poses a real threat, and this is something to keep in mind.
The safest thing for both you and them is to keep your distance and admire them from afar.
Which animals invade gardens and pose a danger?
To save you from a whole lot of reading, here’s a simplified table.
| Species | Why Are They Dangerous? |
| Wolves | Killing and eating livestock, possibly harming people. |
| Bears | Eating crops, killing and eating livestock, possibly harming people. |
| Mountain Lions | Killing and eating livestock, possibly harming people. |
| Deer | Eating crops (and some flowers). |
| Moose | Destroying crops (by walking over them), possibly harming people. |
| Raccoons | Eating crops, possibly harming people (carriers of rabies and other illnesses). |
| Skunks | Possibly harming people with their spray (bites are rare, but they’re carriers of rabies). |
| Venomous Snakes | Possibly harming people, capable of eating small animals. |
This list is certainly not comprehensive – different regions have different threats. But these are some of the most prevalent animals to look out for if you have a place in the country.
Wolves: behavior and diet
Wolves aren’t afraid of venturing into yards, especially if they can find sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, horses, or chickens there. They will return to the same spot for food unless the pack migrates, so you can expect several invasions if you don’t put up a fence.
They’ll avoid conflict with humans if possible and usually attack only if you get too close,…