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Managing Wildlife in Ponds

Ponds naturally attract diverse wildlife. Their presence provides significant benefits but presents management challenges at times.

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Updated:

May 15, 2025

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Canada Geese are just one type of wildlife common to Pennsylvania pond habitats. Photo: Jodi Sulpizio, Penn State

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Ponds are abundant across Pennsylvania's landscape. They occur naturally, and thousands have been constructed for farm use, recreation, or other purposes. According to a Penn State study of 557 pond owners in Pennsylvania, the third most common primary use of ponds was wildlife habitat. A pond ecosystem provides essential habitat for diverse wildlife, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, birds, and even some mammals. Often, wildlife is welcomed by most pond owners. The opportunity to watch and observe wildlife is quite desirable. However, there are times when certain wildlife can become a nuisance and must be managed appropriately. Regardless of your wants and desires for your pond, if you build it, they will come!

Managing pond wildlife can be challenging. Management may include habitat modification, exclusion, or control methods like trapping or using repellents. Balancing nuisance relief control methods is crucial while maintaining appropriate respect for wildlife. Solve conflicts humanely with minimal controversy.

Some of the most common wildlife around ponds that can become a nuisance or are considered undesirable by some people are Canada geese, muskrats, beavers, snapping turtles, great blue herons, and water snakes. Learning about each animal is essential to understanding their behaviors and possible control methods.

Canada Geese

Canada geese can be found in all Pennsylvania counties. Surprisingly, no Canada geese nested anywhere in Pennsylvania before 1935. Today, populations thrive, and resident Canada geese can become problematic. They feed on wild and cultivated plants. One adult goose can eat up to four pounds of grass daily, producing 2 to 4 pounds of manure daily. That means one adult goose can produce nearly 1,000 pounds of manure annually! Large concentrations of waste can add substantial nutrients and bacteria to ponds, degrading water quality. No more than a few geese should be permitted per acre of pond. Migrating flocks are generally not problematic.

Control: Effective management of geese can entail limiting their access to the water, habitat modification, and deterrents. Here are some tips:

Prevent geese from accessing the water. Geese do not like tall plants. To deter Canada geese from feeding and taking up residency, consider growing a vegetated buffer of native tall grasses or cattails. Other barriers include fencing, installing a 2- to 3-foot band of rock, or installing a goose grid 6 to 12 inches above the water to prevent them from landing on it. Use monofilament fishing line, wire, or cord.
Do not feed geese! Feeding them will attract them and encourage residency, making removal more difficult.
Addling or oiling eggs can prevent embryos from developing and eggs from hatching. This practice may be unethical to some people and requires a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit.
Goose repellents approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can be sprayed on vegetation around the pond to deter geese from feeding. Repellents containing methyl anthranilate (a grape extract) make grass taste bad for geese. Use repellents with caution. Runoff containing chemicals can cause additional water quality issues in ponds.
Other deterrents include noise and using decoys resembling natural predators, like owls and hawks.
Be prompt and persistent with control methods. When nuisance geese are gone from the area, make it unsuitable for their return.

For more information, visit Penn State Extension's article Pond and Lake Wildlife: Canada Geese.

Muskrats

Muskrats are common, semi-aquatic rodents and are native to Pennsylvania. They are the nation's most abundant furbearer, able to produce 2 to 4 large litters per year. Adult muskrats are smaller than beavers, weighing about 2.5 pounds and are 22 to 25 inches long. They have a vertically flattened, scaly, almost hairless tail. They prefer still or slow-moving waters, preferring those with cattails, and eat roots and stems of aquatic plants. Sometimes they consume carrion and small animals like crayfish, frogs, and fish. Muskrats are well adapted to swimming. However, their burrowing and foraging activities can damage farm ponds and lake impoundments, which can cause leaks, muddy water, and collapse. They burrow in banks and build lodges, earthen dikes, and dams usually 6–18 inches below the surface of the pond or lake.

Control: To protect the pond's bank, rip-rap the shoreline with large gravel from one foot above to three feet below the water surface. One to two-inch galvanized wire can also be used to protect the bank. However, this is not recommended if the pond is used for swimming. Trapping and removing, following the Pennsylvania Game Commission's guidelines, is one of the more inexpensive control methods.

Dealing with muskrats is much easier if done before populations have become established in ponds. Watch for signs and adopt control measures when you find evidence of their presence. Walk the pond edge and look for evidence of dens, tunnels, feeding (floating vegetation), droppings, etc.

For more information, visit Penn State Extension's article Pond and Lake Wildlife: Muskrats.

Beavers

Beavers are North America's largest rodent and have returned after being extirpated from Pennsylvania at the beginning of the Twentieth century. After reintroduction, they are now abundant throughout the state. They weigh 40 to 60 pounds, have a thick brown pelt, and have a flattened, scaly, trowel-shaped tail. Beavers live in colonies of 5 to 12. They are quite the architects and engineers, cutting trees, damming streams, and constructing lodges and burrows. Damming can be beneficial to wildlife, but it can cause expensive damage. Beaver dams can cause timber loss, crop loss, roadway flooding, and infrastructure and property damage.

Beaver damage around a pond — Evidence of Beaver chewing activity around a pond. Photo: Jodi Sulpizio, Penn State

Control: Trapping and relocating or removing are typically the best methods to control beaver populations. However, careful planning is necessary, and a license from the Pennsylvania Game Commission is required. Use caging and stakes to protect trees. Various repellents, such as sand and paint mixtures, can deter chewing on trees. Success varies. Fencing and barriers can be strategically used to prevent access to certain areas.

Similar to muskrat control, preventing establishment is easier than removing beavers after establishment. Look for signs of chewed trees, tracks, scat, and construction of dams and lodges.

For more information, visit the PA Game Commission's website: Beaver Wildlife Note.

Snapping Turtles

Snapping turtles are the largest of Pennsylvania's turtles, with the upper shell (the carapace) reaching 12 inches long. They have a long, toothed tail, a large head with a prominent curved jaw, and a long neck. Snapping turtles are common in ponds, lakes, and other waterways. They are more likely to be encountered in May and June when they briefly appear on land to lay eggs. During this time, they may be offensive and should be avoided. They generally aren't aggressive when submerged in the water. They are omnivores, eating aquatic plants and animals, and are opportunistic scavengers, consuming dead animals. Snapping turtles rarely cause problems in ponds. Some pond owners find them undesirable. It's important to remember that they are important scavengers in pond ecosystems. Think of them as the pond clean-up crew!

Control: Snapping turtles are protected in May and June when they nest on land. Please do not disturb them during this time. Snapping turtles can be harvested between July 1 and October 31 if you have a Pennsylvania fishing license. Up to 15 per day can be harvested. A 3.5-inch long hook with at least one inch between the tip and shank can be baited with various types of meat. This hook prevents catching other turtle species by mistake. Connect the turtle hooks to heavy monofilament line or wire. Setlines, turtle traps, or other devices can be used to catch snapping turtles. However, they must be tagged with the owner's contact information and designed to allow different species to escape or be released.

Visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Reptile and Amphibian Regulations to learn more about the specific requirements and regulations for harvesting snapping turtles.

Great Blue Heron

The great blue heron is the largest member of the Heron family, measuring 38 to 53 inches long with a 70-inch wingspan. They are mainly white with dark gray underparts and have a grayish-blue back and wings. A thick black eye stripe and a feathery black crest are visible on the head. Their favorite foods include fish, water snakes, frogs, crayfish, mice, shrews, and insects. They may quickly deplete fish populations in ponds, especially exotic fish.

Control: It's important to know that great blue herons are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This law prohibits hunting, killing, possessing, and selling them. Nests and eggs are also protected. To remove or kill a heron, a permit is needed from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

To protect fish from becoming a heron's meal, pond netting can be used on small ponds. Animal decoys can deter herons. However, herons are very intelligent and can figure out deterrents meant to scare them away. Move the decoys to various locations to keep them guessing!

More information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding heron and egret control can be found here: Herons and Egrets.

Northern Water Snake

The northern water snake is the most encountered water snake in Pennsylvania. Populations are healthy, but habitat loss and pollution are threats. Water and food naturally attract them to ponds. They are harmless pond dwellers and are often misunderstood and misidentified. An encounter with one may be startling, but if encountered, they will likely slither away quickly. They can be feisty if threatened, so don't bother them. They are excellent swimmers. You may see them patrolling the waters, swimming with just their head above water. If seen basking, remember they regulate their body temperature, which is an important life function. Please do not kill them. Instead, take some time to observe, learn about, understand, and respect this misunderstood reptile. They have essential roles in the pond ecosystem and are not harmful to you, the pond, or its function.

Control: Eliminating vegetation and debris where they can hide may deter them. However, eliminating vegetation is not ideal for pond water quality.

For more information, visit Penn State Extension's article Pond and Lake Management: Northern Water Snakes.

Becoming familiar with an animal's natural history, biology, and habitat requirements is essential to coexist with them. Always consider the impact on the entire ecosystem when choosing a control method. Methods of controlling damage from wildlife will work only as well as they are implemented. Preventing establishment is easier and more cost-effective than controlling populations after the problem starts. If necessary, seek advice from wildlife professionals when making a management plan. For more information regarding individual species and wildlife laws and regulations, visit the PA Game Commission and PA Fish & Boat Commission websites.