It's A Zoo Out There
by Broderick Perkins
A Bronx woman in her backyard was bitten recently by a wild rabid raccoon. In the nation's capital, Dupont Circle residents share their neighborhood with raccoon, possums, woodchucks, beaver, deer and the occasional coyote. Farm buffalo led police on a wild goose chase in a posh Pikesville, MD neighborhood Wednesday. And police had to shoot a wild 80-pound mountain lion cornered in the back yard tree blocks from an elementary school in one of San Jose, CA's sprawling suburbs less than a mile from the foothills. Those were just a few of the wild animal sitings that made the news this week among the thousands that occur every day around the nation. It's a zoo out there. No matter how much asphalt we pour from coast to coast, we live in a wildlife habitat. While that habitat has been diminished over time, wild animals continue to find ways to thrive. More and more often they will pay you a visit -- sometimes right in your own backyard -- typically in a search for food or water. Still, the potential for being attacked by wildlife is low compared to other hazards faced every day, but what you should do varies from creature to creature. You should become familiar with the wildlife in your area and learn what to do when you encounter each species. Wildlife experts generally advise remaining calm. There's a good chance the animal is just as afraid of you, as you are of it. Do not approach the animal. Depending upon the animal, your behavior or the shape your body assumes in an attempt to interact with the animal could signal to the animal that you are either a threat or prey. Whenever possible, call 911, your local humane society or the fish and game and wildlife specialists in your area. Mountain lions have been a growing problem in the south San Francisco Bay Area in recent years and after the mountain lion (also known as a cougar, panther and puma) citing in San Jose this week, California Department of Fish and Game recommended following this existing advice. |
