Just saw a coyote running down my street in Durham. Really. No kidding. (Hillsborough: home, living in)

[WangoTango]

Originally Posted by sundaze

Are there many racoons?

Oh yeah. We used to have a family of coons that came to our back deck at night to eat the birdseed out of our feeders for many years. We also had foxes, lots of rabbits and a pair of breeding barred owls. This was in Cary, right off the parkway, backed up to the greenway.

[Streamer1212]

Originally Posted by sundaze

Are there many racoons?

There's a world of raccoons around here.

As to the coyotes, there are several populations around this area. There's one near Lake Crabtree/Umstead Park, and at least one or twp at Jordan Lake. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more. I also wouldn't be surprised if they became a bit more urban in their habitat.

Streamer1212

[RDSLOTS]

I've only seen a coyote twice -- both times out near RDU on Aviation Parkway -- but my neighborhood seems to be home to all sorts of beautiful wildlife like ducks of all sorts, Canadian geese, egrets, rabbits, raccoons, possum, barn owls, and even a pair of young eagles. I almost wrecked the little two-seater the day I had the top down, and saw the pair of eagles overhead -- playing in the down drafts like they do. I don't much think a coyote, or other wildlife, will bother you, but you need to be wary if you see nocturnal creatures out and about during the day. Mike Jaquish is right about the rabies.

[VaNC]

I live ITB in Raliegh and we have a BIG fox that lives in our neighborhood. We also have seen lots of deer, etc. No coyotes though!

[Indigoblue]

Wow I'm jealous. I'm in SW Durham too and haven't seen a fox or coyote yet.

And maybe a little freaked out too. They aren't big enough to try to attack a toddler are they? Is that a silly question?

[MamaBear75]

Back home we had an issue when them actually coming into the city and incidences of them attacking small children - They aren't safe creatures when they start viewing humans as a food source and become habituated

[VaNC]

Foxes are nocturnal, I think, so I am not worried about them attacking the kids. If my cat got out at night, I think I would worry. The hawks seem to be keeping the rabbit population at bay, although I am sure the fox helps with that. Although, somehow, the rabbits just keep on coming!

I don't know about coyotes attacking kids.

[Rhaven]

Originally Posted by arsbadmojo

I don't know that I'd be able to identify one if I saw it. It took a few moments to register a fox the last time I saw one. Are they much bigger than foxes?

Yup! Foxes are generally the size of a small dog, wheras coyotes are a good deal bigger. Think german Shepard size, with a dusky tan coating, trimmed in black. We had a pack of coyotes that lived in our back woods up in Mass. I remember a few times gardening and catching sight of one or two. Generally they are not around during the day, but with the amount of construction and house building going on, they would come out once in awhile.

I remember the first time I saw one, I was outisde and it just melted right out of the woods about 500 feet away. At first I thought somones dog was loose, but then quickly realized it was no local dog. I stood still and watched it for a few minutes before it melted right back into the woods.

Listening to the pack howl at night was very surreal and beautiful.

[Gurl]

Originally Posted by Indigoblue

Wow I'm jealous. I'm in SW Durham too and haven't seen a fox or coyote yet.

And maybe a little freaked out too.

I KNOW I would freak out!

A black squirrel got in my house before I moved in, and it scared me to nearly to death.

I like 'nature', but 'critters' big and small are a bit much for me.

[NCBOUND123]

Originally Posted by arsbadmojo

I don't know that I'd be able to identify one if I saw it. It took a few moments to register a fox the last time I saw one. Are they much bigger than foxes?

They look a lot like dogs or heyenna's (junk yard dogs...lol) but scruffier. There coats are pretty dull compared to most dogs and their back/hind legs are wierd... almost like they're dragging their arse.