SANTA FE – Once Thanksgiving is over, many New Mexicans take the opportunity to decorate their homes for the holidays.
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish would like to remind the public as they prepare to hang up those colorful strands of light and bring that inflatable Santa Claus out of storage to ensure that their holiday decorations do not pose a safety hazard to wildlife that may become entangled.
Some tips to keep wildlife safe this holiday season include:
- Consider placing decorations on the inside of windows.
- Consider restricting outdoor decorations to those areas immediately around your house.
- If possible, consider having outdoor decorations that are firmly attached to door/window frames.
- Avoid placing outdoor decorations in areas around your home or yard that wildlife frequently visit or use as a travel corridor.
- Avoid using outdoor decorations with a net or closed circle design.
- String lighting should be placed at least 8 feet off the ground and should be firmly attached to posts, tree limbs, etc.
- Don't simply drape lighting over bushes or low-hanging branches.
- Make sure any lighting or decorations used to wrap tree trunks or posts are at least 8 feet off the ground.
- Be careful of using large holiday decorations that require guy wires to anchor. Wildlife can become entangled.
- Large holiday decorations should have no or small openings. Wildlife may be tempted to put their heads into larger openings either out of curiosity or to search for food.
- Avoid decorations that may look edible to wildlife.
The Department wishes all New Mexicans a happy, safe and festive holiday season, and appreciates the public's help in ensuring the safety of all of New Mexico's wildlife.
