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Things you can do to help Georgia's wildlife

  • Dispose of plastic waste and fishing gear properly. Manatees, sea turtles, birds and other wildlife are often injured or killed by eating or getting tangled with fish hooks, fishing line, plastic bags, etc.
  • Make your yard a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by providing food, water, cover, and a place to raise young
    • Plant a variety of native trees, shrubs, and flowers to provide food and cover for birds and other animals
    • Provide a clean, reliable source of water such as a bird bath
    • Provide nesting boxes for birds and bees
    • In addition to native plants, provide food by putting out feeders
    • Form a brush pile
  • Keep your cat indoors and reduce the reflection of large windows to reduce bird deaths in your yard
  • Decrease or stop your use of chemical pesticides in your yard. Pesticides kill beneficial insects as well as harmful insects. They can also harm or kill birds, amphibians, and other wildlife.
  • Ask you parents to purchase shade grown coffee. Coffee grown under the canopy of trees saves habitat for birds on their wintering grounds
  • Support local and national conservation organizations such as the Georgia Conservancy, Georgia Wildlife Federation, and the National Wildlife Federation
  • Do not kill snakes. Most snakes are non-venomous and provide a great service by eating a lot of rodents. If you encounter a snake, quietly and slowly back away.
  • Participate in a river or beach cleanup
  • Conserve natural resources
    • water your garden late in the evening or early in the morning
    • use a soaker hose to water your garden instead of a sprinkler
    • do not let the water run when you are brushing your teeth
    • take shorter showers
    • turn out the lights when you are not in a room
    • make sure you close doors so the AC does not have to run
    • make sure you close refrigerator doors so extra energy is not needed to keep it cold
    • recycle
    • compost food scraps and use to fertilize your garden
    • ride your bike when you can so you do not have to use the car

To help Sea Turtles:

  • Never disturb a sea turtle that is crawling to or from the sea.
  • Once a sea turtle has begun nesting, observe her only from a distance. Do not crowd.
  • Never attempt to ride a sea turtle.
  • Do not shine lights in a sea turtle's eyes or take flash photography.
  • Avoid or reduce beach lighting at night.
  • Report all sightings to (478)994-1438. To report a dead or injured turtle, or sea turtle harassment, call (800)2-SAVE-ME. (If the sea turtle is tagged, please include the tag color and number in the report if possible.)

When in areas with Manatees:

Reduce the risk of collisions:

  • Stay in deep water or designated channels. Avoid vegetated or shallow areas. Slow down!
  • Do not pass over a submerged manatee.
  • Keep at least 50 feet from manatees at all times.

Also, to further help this endangered species:

  • Should you encounter manatees while you are swimming, look but do not touch.

When you are in areas where there are bears:

  • Store your food properly and properly dispose of trash. Bears that repeatedly get into human food and trash are considered problem animals. They will have to be moved to another area or sometimes they are killed.