11.3 Basic Elements Needed for Habitat

Why do we see lots of wildlife in some areas of Washington and different kinds of or little or no wildlife in other areas?

You can answer this question by thinking about what you and your own family need to survive. Write down the three most important things you need to survive.

You and your family probably have a television set or a radio. You also might have a car or a truck. You might even have a boat, a bicycle, or a skateboard. All of these things are nice to have, but you don’t need any of them to survive! The three most important things you and your family need to survive are: Food, Water, and Shelter. You can live without a skateboard or a television set. You cannot live without food, water, and shelter.

A house, an apartment, a trailer, or a cabin can provide basic shelter for you and your family. You can stay drier and warmer in shelter than you could if you were outside 24 hours a day. You also need enough space to avoid overcrowding.

It’s just the same with wildlife. Without food, water, space, and cover (shelter) properly arranged, little or no wildlife will live in an area. The habitat for wildlife must include food, water, cover, and space, all correctly arranged.

Good habitat provides healthy wildlife populations. Poor habitat means little or no wildlife!

Wildlife Habitat = Food + Water + Cover + Space + Proper Arrangement

Different animals have different habitat requirements. The wildlife habitat in your area may be good for pheasant, but it might not be suitable for deer or elk. Often you can see different animals sharing the same habitat. Remember that the number of animals will depend on how good the habitat is for that species. All animals need good quality habitat in order to survive!

Good Habitat = Healthy Wildlife Populations

How good is the wildlife habitat in your area? Has it changed in the past few years?

Angel Island, off the coast of California, had a healthy deer population in a state park. Hunting was prohibited, and the number of deer in the park increased beyond what the habitat could support. The California Department of Fish & Game suggested that biologists shoot excess deer to reduce deer numbers. The public was opposed to the idea, and 203 animals were instead live-trapped and released in another part of the state.

Some of the deer that were released had a radio "collar" put around their necks. The collar would tell biologists where the deer were, and it would help them study how the deer would survive in their new habitat. At the end of the first year, 85% of the deer were dead in their new habitat! More than one-half died within the first three months.

The live-trapping and transplanting cost $3,000 per deer … and it really didn’t help increase deer populations in other parts of the state!