Some people love the sight of a stray rabbit or deer in their lawn in the morning. However, others do not like sharing their outdoor living space with wildlife animals. This is mainly because of significant damage these unwanted guests usually cause to property and landscaped areas. They not only dig up holes on the ground that can interfere with your utility lines, but also eat flowers, fruits and vegetables from your garden and yard.

If you live in remote areas, animals such as coyotes and lions may also frequent your property. Though they may not snack on your fruits and vegetables, they are a potential threat to your children and domestic pets as they play on the yard. Here are some simple ways to protect your property from wildlife:

Remove All Things That Attract Wildlife To Your Property

Most wild animals will come to your property for a reason. Most of the times, they are either looking for food or shelter. Therefore, if you have a natural grass lawn that is attracting them (natural grass has weeds, worms and insects that mammals and birds love), consider switching to artificial lawn. With artificial grass, you’ll still be able to enjoy the feel and look of a lush green lawn, without regular maintenance and attracting unwanted animals in your home.

To keep the animals from your trash area, keep the garbage can indoors and shut, and clean any spilled food in the area where you used to place it outdoors. Similarly, to keep them away from your garden, pick fruits, vegetables and flowers as soon as they fall (since they act as attractants to wildlife).

In addition, consider sealing any open holes in your house that these animals may use to get to the attic. Also, trim back trees and vegetation that they may be using to climb to your rooftop in order to gain entry into the house.

Fence Your Property

After removing the attractants, a strong and durable fence is your second line of defense. Depending on the intruding animal, you may decide to fence only problem areas or your entire property. To keep wildlife from jumping over or burrowing beneath the fence, ensure that it is sturdy and buried at least 1.5 feet underground and at least 5 feet above the ground.

Plant Perimeter Plants That Local Wildlife Avoid

After fencing, you also need to plant perimeter plants to keep off these animals from your property. For instance, if deer, squirrels and skunks are giving you problems, consider planting lavender or sage around your yard perimeter. This will effectively keep them off since they don’t like the smell of these plants.

Use Wildlife Repellents

If all the above don’t work, try spraying the ground plants with wildlife repellents to keep these animals as far away from your property as possible. Just make sure that whatever repellant you use is safe for your kids and pets that may be playing in your yard.

Try any of these methods to protect your property from intrusion and subsequent damage by wild animals.