# Your local mammals **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 3, 2016, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762 "2016-05-03T06:31:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/41 "2016-05-03T17:51:13Z")
Gray squirrels White-footed mice (only in winter when one finds its way from the crawl space under the porch to the basement) Raccoones Skunks Eastern cottontails (there’s a family living in my neighbor’s hedge) Possums (haven’t seen any this year so far) Coyotes (ditto) Dogs with humans The occasional cat (usually a neighbor’s – we don’t have ferals around here AFAIK) White tail deer (on the other side of town in the state forest) Foxes (seldom seen but occasionally leaves mementos) The occasional fisher cat (seldom seen but its scream is heard for miles) Your rangy brown river rat (should you go down by the estuary) ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/42 "2016-05-03T17:55:45Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > You call this ugly? > [Austin Wildlife Rescue](http://www.austinwildliferescue.org/#!untitled/zoom/c1i6a/image_kmn) Yes. But they get e[ven uglier](http://cdn.bobinoz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/24359966_819581de1c_o.jpg) when they’re adults. ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/43 "2016-05-03T18:31:14Z")
**Urbany-Suburban Central New Jersey:** -Naturally, my four house hounds -Squirrels -Groundhogs -A bat (just one – his name is Rodrigo and he lives on my porch ceiling) -Eastern milksnakes (I know there are more types, this is the one I’ve actually seen) -Black bears -Cicadas and fireflies -Raccoons -Deer -I think I saw a coyote, but it may have been a ratty stray -Turtles -Ducks -Big-ass Canada geese -'Possums -Swans -Loons -Egrets -Miscellaneous fish ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/44 "2016-05-03T18:34:58Z")
> [@WilyQuixote](#): > > Cape Town, South Africa > > In urban and suburban areas, introduced Grey Squirrels are common, and in southern areas, Chacma baboons. > > In nearby Table Mountain and various small nature reserves, mongooses, (Cape Grey and Water) are fairly frequently seen, as are Grysbok. (a species of small antelope). Rock hyrax are less numerous then they used to be. > > Some larger antelope have been reintroduced into the Cape Point area, such as Red Hartebeest and Eland. Two subspecies with an extremely limited range have also been introduced, namely Bontebok (antelope) and Cape Mountain Zebra. All can be easily seen on a casual drive. > > Caracal, genets, foxes, otters, porcupine and several other species of small antelope are all present but rarely seen. > > Evidence of the presence of molerats and golden moles are all over the place. > > And lots of bats. Oooooh, cool stuff! Any skerry snakes to report? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/45 "2016-05-03T18:55:40Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Looks like your picture is actually a species of squirrel, _Sciurus variegatoides_! Yes. It’s black and white in Panama, but [other](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Grote_gevlekte_boomeekhoorn_-_Sciurus_Variegatoides_Loweryi.jpg) [colors](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Sciurus_variegatoides_atrirufus_(climbing).jpg) elsewhere. It’s the common city squirrel. There’s also a [Red-tailed Squirrel](http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/fullsize/sevcik/red-tailed-squirrel--88x_sciurus_granatensis_2.jpg) in forested areas. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/46 "2016-05-03T20:03:57Z")
I guess the OP wanted, specifically, WILD mammals, or else the list is basically cats and dogs. 🙂 I live in the Toronto area, so it’s an urban wildlife list. In terms of mammals by frequency of sighting, places 1 through 15 are “Squirrel.” The pace is teeming with squirrels in numbers beyond counting. It would be rather amazing to spend five minutes outdoors and not be able to see multiple squirrels. The area is also infested with raccoons, but they are, of course, better at staying out of sight. You still see them a lot and they will destroy your garage given half the chance… In order of frequency of sighting you’ll then see: - Rabbits are very common. - Mice and voles. (You can learn to tell the difference with some research, but same thing.) - Chipmunks - Gophers. Or woodchucks. Whatever. All over the place. - Deer - Skunks - very common but nocturnal and prefer to stay out of sight - Coyotes (once, within my own memory, totally unknown in this area; now shockingly common, even in cities) - Foxes - Opossums Bats are common but obviously not easy to spot. The frequency with which you see them depends on the suitability of your home, or a nearby home, to host them. Some people will install bat houses to host them, as they’re allegedly good for keeping insects at bay. I am kind of skeptical of their effectiveness - insects will pretty much breed as fast as bats can eat them and fill up the biospace - but good for the bat PR department. There are rats, of course, but only if you keep a shitty house or your neighbor does. There are many, many moles around but they are rarely seen. Rarely seen but you’ll catch sight of one once in a great while; porcupines, beavers, wolves, ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/47 "2016-05-03T20:40:46Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > Yes. But they get e[ven uglier](http://cdn.bobinoz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/24359966_819581de1c_o.jpg) when they’re adults. I saw one like that once. It was behind my toilet. That was a night to remember. It involved a screaming female (not me), a lot of beer, a possum wrapped in a towel (not mine), several threats (definitely mine), and the phrase “Poke him with the broom, dammit, poke him with the broom!” ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/48 "2016-05-03T21:54:28Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > Here in our suburban neighborhood in Sacramento, we have > > squirrels > raccoons > feral cats > possums > rats and mice > skunks > > Just a few blocks away there is a wooded parkway along what was once a seasonal creek. On occasion you can find a coyote there, and just a bit farther away there are about 12 gazillion rabbits in a large empty field along the freeway. > > Along the American River Parkway which cuts through the middle of town you can also find deer, otters, beavers, and the occasional mountain lion Same region - and I would add coyotes all along the Parkway, and bobcats at the far eastern end at Folsom Lake. I have seen two types of rabbits around here - I guess cotton-tail and the taller, bigger, faster jackrabbits (just guessing at their actual names). The skunks I have seen have all been road-kill. Thankfully, never seen a mountain lion in the wild, altho there are numerous warning signs. And bats, plenty of bats at sundown. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/49 "2016-05-03T22:18:58Z")
I live in Torrance Ca. about 12 miles south of Los Angeles. We have the usual squirrels, rats, mice, opossums, raccoon, skunks, foxes, coyotes, golfers and bats. If you venture out into the fields and vacant lots you might find a pack rat now and then as well as shrews. We also have a few moles around but I have yet to see one. 25 miles north we have bears, bob cats and mountain lions coming down into the city. 60 years ago you might have seen a short tailed weasel or a badger. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/50 "2016-05-03T23:17:36Z")
[ul] [li]Here in the Piedmont of North Carolina, we’re infested with squirrels.[/li][li]When I lived in Raleigh, I saw the occasional chipmunk, but there don’t appear to be any in my area now.[/li][li]When I first moved into this neighborhood, we had lots of raccoons, but I don’t see them anymore. [/li][li]I have started to see opossums. They sort of cute when they’re trying to scurry around the yard.[/li][li]Occasionally, a fox will show up; they are greatly feared as carriers of rabies.[/li][li]We do still have a healthy deer population…they can be pretty bold about just strolling in front of slow-moving traffic going in and out of the neighborhood.[/li][li] I’ve started hearing what sounds like coyotes, and a couple of my neighbors claim to have spotted them, but I haven’t seen any myself.[/li][li]Bats.[/li][li]Bunnies![/li][li]Occasionally, I’ll encounter very large rats crossing the road in more rural areas.[/li][li]A few years ago, there were several confirmed bear sightings in a town a few miles from where I live.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/51 "2016-05-03T23:32:36Z")
Southern Maine. Not counting domesticated animals, from the house and yard I have seen Opossum Skunk Porcupine Groundhog Moose White-tail deer Red fox Coyote Cottontail rabbit Black bear Red squirrel Gray squirrel Chipmunk Various mice, voles, shrews and moles In addition, I have seen the following within about half a mile of my house Fisher Snowshoe hare Muskrat Beaver In addition, I have seen the following within about five miles of my house River otter Bobcat ---
**Author:** ![12mgdaily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/f08c70/32.png) [@12mgdaily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/12mgdaily)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/52 "2016-05-04T00:02:46Z")
Central Florida (Atlantic coast) These animals I have seen: raccoons deer feral cats possums armadillos bobcats skunks rabbits mice squirrels wild pigs (boar) manatee dolphin ---
**Author:** ![WilyQuixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@WilyQuixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilyQuixote)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/53 "2016-05-04T06:33:51Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > Oooooh, cool stuff! Any skerry snakes to report? There are about three species of venomous snakes in the area, but they are much more shy then people believe and unless you’re actively looking for them, snakes of any kind are infrequently seen. The only venomous one I see with any regularity is the Boomslang. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/54 "2016-05-04T08:44:35Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Southern England: > > Grey squirrels (not native, but have now completely displaced the native reds in this area) > European Rabbit > Hedgehog > Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and several other species of mouse > Common Shrew (Sorex araneus) > Red Fox > Brown Rat > Badger > Water Vole > Red, Roe and Fallow Deer > Otter > > So basically, the cast of every Beatrix Potter book, but without the waistcoats. > > Oh, and 17 or 18 species of bat. Pretty much the same here, plus brown hares and the odd muntjac deer; they’re decidedly not native, but there’s a fair colony around. Never seen a water vole in the wild though. Considering I’m really quite close to the centre of a large city, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much wildlife there is around. I’ve seen badgers, hedgehogs and more, even within sight of the centre. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/55 "2016-05-04T13:51:20Z")
> [@WilyQuixote](#): > > Cape Town, South Africa > > In urban and suburban areas, introduced Grey Squirrels are common, and in southern areas, Chacma baboons. > > In nearby Table Mountain and various small nature reserves, mongooses, (Cape Grey and Water) are fairly frequently seen, as are Grysbok. (a species of small antelope). Rock hyrax are less numerous then they used to be. > > Some larger antelope have been reintroduced into the Cape Point area, such as Red Hartebeest and Eland. Two subspecies with an extremely limited range have also been introduced, namely Bontebok (antelope) and Cape Mountain Zebra. All can be easily seen on a casual drive. > > Caracal, genets, foxes, otters, porcupine and several other species of small antelope are all present but rarely seen. > > Evidence of the presence of molerats and golden moles are all over the place. > > And lots of bats. What he said. Also, goats, horses, donkeys. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/56 "2016-05-04T13:55:20Z")
> [@WilyQuixote](#): > > There are about three species of venomous snakes in the area, but they are much more shy then people believe and unless you’re actively looking for them, snakes of any kind are infrequently seen. The only venomous one I see with any regularity is the Boomslang. Saw a puffadder last week. Although that was in the desert at AfrikaBurn… ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/57 "2016-05-04T16:39:34Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Southern England: > > Grey squirrels (not native, but have now completely displaced the native reds in this area) > European Rabbit > Hedgehog > Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and several other species of mouse > Common Shrew (Sorex araneus) > Red Fox > Brown Rat > Badger > Water Vole > Red, Roe and Fallow Deer > Otter > > So basically, the cast of every Beatrix Potter book, but without the waistcoats. > > Oh, and 17 or 18 species of bat. > [@Filbert](#): > > Pretty much the same here, plus brown hares and the odd muntjac deer; they’re decidedly not native, but there’s a fair colony around. > > Never seen a water vole in the wild though. > > Considering I’m really quite close to the centre of a large city, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much wildlife there is around. I’ve seen badgers, hedgehogs and more, even within sight of the centre. I’m in the suburbs of a large city in the midlands of England. Here pretty much, I reckon, as told of by **Mangetout** and **Filbert**. I don’t get out a very great deal, but have “seen with own eyes” (in part, in a big park a few miles from me) grey squirrel, European rabbit, red fox – plenty more on above participants’ lists, I’m sure, is hereabouts, which I just haven’t taken the trouble to search out. I have the impression that my part of England is rather “deer-poor”; but may be wrong. Mention re Great Britain, of native red squirrel versus alien but stronger re Darwinian competition, American grey _Sciurus carolinensis_: the native red squirrel (_Sciurus vulgaris_)'s pretty-much last stronghold in the south of England, is the Isle of Wight. Grey squirrels have not managed to make it across the two / three-mile-wide strait separating the island from the mainland. Wight has a thriving population of some three thousand exclusively-red squirrels. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/58 "2016-05-04T17:57:07Z")
Add to my list Bobcats apparently. I just got a facebook warnings saying that they have now been spotted in my area. So yeah. I have bobcats now ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/59 "2016-05-04T22:00:00Z")
Rabbits, squirrels, deer, racoons, possums, mice, bats. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762/60 "2016-05-04T22:03:40Z")
Oh yeah, I’ve seen one wild bobcat. From 5 feet away. In a leg trap. He was **pissed off**. The law is they have to check the traps every once in awhile (72 or 96 hours, I think). So while there was no saving him, I hope he didn’t stay there too long. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-local-mammals/753762.md?page=4)