LDWF urges citizens to remain calm if they interact with animals

Humans have evacuation routes to follow when floods threaten their homes.

Animals have nothing to rely on but instinct.

Their instincts are telling them to run for higher ground, even if that means interacting with people.

That’s exactly the challenge facing the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries who say they’ve seen several species of animals fleeing their flooded habitats since the Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14.

“We’ve seen movement of animals,” said Scott Longman, an assistant administrator of the LDWF’s wildlife division. “It’s mostly been to the levees and across the levees.”

So far, instances of animal-to-human interaction hasn’t been a major problem, according to Longman, who said they’ve mostly seen animal movement from the lower areas to higher areas near levees.

“Really there have been limited reports of interactions with the public,” Longman said. “There have really been no reports that I know of as of yet in terms of there being any problems. It’s mainly just been concerns from the public in terms of the animals and their welfare as they evacuate the flooded areas.”

The Atchafalaya River Basin in St. Mary Parish is the home of countless animal species, most notably deer, rabbits, squirrels, armadillos, opossums, skunks and even a few Louisiana black bears.

The waters are also the homes of countless species of snakes, turtles and frogs and also alligators.

Longman said that being natives of the basin, the animals do have natural instincts that tell them what to do when flooding comes. He quickly added that those instincts would not have as much of an impact as before, because the quantity of water expected may overtake some of their usual hideout areas.

“They’ll move up the ridges along the bayous and get to high ground at some point if those ridges are inundated,” Longman said. “They’ll move around to the levees and from the levees, outward again to find suitable habitat for refuge.”

From the levees, the “outward again” Longman referenced is what officials hope to avoid, contact with civilization.

If that were to occur, LDWF officials deliver a simple message – stay away at all costs.

“If they come into contact with any wildlife or see it, the best thing people can really do is move away,” Longman said. “Make sure to give the animal the space that it needs.”

Longman said that if given adequate amount of space, animals are “very unlikely” to pursue any sort of aggression toward humans.

He said that because of the volume of miles they would log to get to higher ground, flooded out animals would often be in a rest period when they arrive on dry land.

“This is one thing that we were told by some of the staff that were working during the 1973 flood. What they would see is some of the animals would move out, get to the levees and just be exhausted,” Longman said. “They would just lay down there and rest. … And already this year, we’ve seen a few animals out there that have just been laid out on the levee. One of our staff recently came in contact with an armadillo who was just sitting down and who wouldn’t move even if you walked by it. The animals are tired. It’s a pretty good swim getting out of there.”

In addition to human safety, animals need space for their own protection. Longman said when cornered, animals instinctively turn back into the water, where they would likely die.

He said that was a mistake LDWF made during the 1973 flood and added that they interpreted sleeping animals as animals that were in duress and need of rescue.

“What they found out is that when they attempted that, they would cause more stress, or they would cause them to go back into the flood, which would likely cause more mortality,” Longman said. “The best thing to do is give them the space, let them get their rest. They will move out. There’s no habitat for them there. There’s no food sources. They will move out. The best thing to do is just get back and let them gain their strength and move out to suitable habitat.”

Longman said that if anyone feels like they are in danger because of wildlife, they can contact: (800) 442-2511 for assistance with black bears. For other inquiries regarding human health risks and wildlife, people are urged to contact the nearest LDWF field office, which is the New Iberia office and can be reached at (337) 373-0032.