Winter-2022

164 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 2 (Clockwise from top left) Donkeys rescued from a Lake McClure island; an injured red-tailed hawk; a 300-pound wild pig trapped near Salinas; one of a flock of feral peacocks that have lived in Prunedale for 30 years. Photos: Courtesy of Urban Trappers and maintains a list of people who are interest- ed in this delicious, organic pork. “I make sure nothing goes to waste,” he says. “My home freezer is full, and my neighbors’ freezers are full. We offer the meat to low-income families as well. I have to find a silver lining.” Burton’s business is not just about trapping and eradicating “nuisance” animals. He regularly advises clients on methods of protecting prop- erty and domestic animals before a problem arises. For instance, he got a call concerning a horse in Prunedale that had been beset by a mountain lion. “The attack wasn’t too severe but did cause some gashes and emotional stress on the horse. In these types of incidents, we set up cameras to try to catch video and photos of the cat, then we turn that information over to Fish and Wildlife and obtain a depredation per- mit if necessary.” Before it gets to that point, however, if the client hasn’t deployed any deter- rents, Burton urges the homeowner to get a guardian animal such as a Great Pyrenees dog or other breed suited to protecting livestock. In addition,“That property had no exterior lighting and had oak trees overhanging the corral. We advised them to correct those issues.” For smaller animals, he recommends that people attract raptors and other birds of prey, including owls, to create a natural predator/prey balance. “If Mother Nature can figure itself out, that’s the goal. The more we intervene, the more we’re going to have to keep intervening,” Burton says. For more information and/or assistance, please visit www.urbantrappingwildlifecontrol.com or call 831/809-2441.