You may have already noticed a few more Canada Geese around town.
Chris Healy is the spokesman for the Nevada Department of Wildlife and says the geese migrate south, to northern Nevada, as the amount of sunlight decreases.
"It's a signal from nature that animals, and even humans take and they adjust their behavior, knowing that there's a change in the seasons coming," Healy said.
Right around now is when we start to see an increase of geese, as we head into the fall.
"Between now and early December, we'll see a local population of maybe 1,500 to 2,000 Canada Geese could balloon up to as much as 12 to 15,000 by the time we hit early January," Healy said.
This is also a very important time for black bears as they get ready for the cold winter months in the Sierra.
"They go from 3 to 5,000 calories a day, up to 25 to 30,000 calories a day, with a goal of putting on this huge layer of fat so they can survive hibernation," Healy said.
That appetite also means some of the bears could come into urban areas, looking for food.
"Don't let the bears have access to your garbage or you're going to addict the bear to garbage and you have the possibility of setting it up for its demise," Healy said.
Animals like mule deer go into survival mode, during the winter months, meaning they're also looking to fatten up.
Most animals will look for food near water sources, like wild horses in south Reno.
That often means coming into contact with humans, in urban areas.
Coyotes are also prevalent, sometimes looking towards people's pets as a food source.
In some cases, that is caused by dry weather.
"The best thing that can happen is get rid of this record-setting heat, bring us some fall weather, get some moisture on the ground and green up that habitat," Healy said.
The end of summer also signals some changes to the Truckee River as some types of fish begin to reproduce.
"They suddenly start realizing the water is cooler, there's a decrease in sunlight," Healy said. Suddenly, they get into spawning mode."
With fall just around the corner, mosquitoes are still around, so experts say to keep repellent handy.
Also, rattlesnakes are still a threat.
So, if you and your pets are outdoors, be on the lookout.
Written by Paul Nelson
