Wildlife in the city

[speakhandsforme]

That's great! The US cougar is a seriously endangered species, and it warms my heart to hear stories about them. I saw a Florida panther (subspecies) at the zoo a few weeks back and it was a seriously awesome animal.

Are they really endangered everywhere, or just in some places? In this state there's a hunting season for them and they're allowing 100 to be taken next season. Seems high for an endangered species.

They are more endangered in some places than others. The western cougars are not very endangered; the eastern cougars are considered extinct, except for the critically endangered Florida cougar. The North American cougar as a whole is also considered critically endangered.

They're alive and well in most parts of South America.

Here's a map. The orange parts show the areas they're most endangered. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cougar_range_map_2010.png

 

[MoochNNoodles]

My Grandparents live in a long established area and they've had a big increase in wildlife over the past 20 years or so.  Grandpa once had a opossum in his garage.  He keeps bungee cords on his trash cans to keep raccoons out.  Just a couple years ago while I was visiting a hawk flew into the kitchen window.  I didn't see it hit; but I heard the bang and ran outside and it was sitting in the grass a little stunned.  It got up and flew to the next yard over for a little while and then we didn't see it again.  A few years before that DH got me a telescope for my birthday right before we took a trip up there; so I brought it with me.  We were out back with Grandpa enjoying the moon when DH was suddenly like "lets go in" in this funny voice.  There was a skunk meandering our way....  The backyard is surrounded by either a fence or a hedge on all sides.  I'm still glad he didn't spray anything...including my telescope since we had to leave it out there! 

Now that I think of it; I've seen more wildlife in that neighborhood than where I live now...which is beyond any city limits and we have parks and farms nearby.  I do have plenty of neighbors though.  I think the dogs next door keep some things away.

 

[revenwyn]

I have had quite a few wildlife experiences. I have been within four feet of a mountain lion. I was careful not to meet its eyes, but I did take a look and just backed slowly away (if you ever see one do not run, it invokes the predator instinct). He wasn't interested in little girl at the moment anyway, other than just taking a quick look. Then we just went our separate ways.This was within 15 minutes of a highly populated area.

When I worked in summer camp and we had an outdoor sleep over/night hike, I once came back to find a coyote on my sleeping bag, dozing with its head on my pillow.

Where I live now, I have had some strange wildlife experiences. We have a raccoon who will actually scratch at our door then look at me and beg (we do not feed him by the way, but he insists on returning every few weeks just in case we change our minds.) When the ferals used to sleep in a box on our porch, I have occasionally seen an opossum cuddled into the kitty huddle when it was really cold out.

 

[jennyr]

London, England is full of urban foxes. When I lived there, just 15 minutes from the centre, a pair always had their cubs in my shed. I used to love to watch them playing in the garden in the moonlight, tbut they did make a horrible mess and their poo smelt disgusting. I actually met a fox at 2AM one morning on Waterloo Bridge right in the middle of the city! Now I live in the country, these things are commonplace.

 

[catspaw66]

I sometimes hear a cougar (mountain lion) off in the woods, but I have yet to see one.  That is the only kind of wildlife (other than a wolf) I haven't seen here.  I have seen a lynx marking the front bumper of the 63 Chevy in the front yard.

 

[goonie]

i see Racoons regulary and there's Possums, Skunks, Foxes and lots of Owls

 

[mrblanche]

I've seen the possum again as I was on my way home, so my guess is that's his regular territory, tearing open trash bags.

This morning I followed a skunk ambling up the alley.