Suburban sightings
Betsy Heinz took this photo of fox kits off Archer Road in Chartiers Township.
One of the fox kits living in the hollow of a tree in Chartiers Township is fascinated by a toy.
A raccoon caught by Dominic Montani, owner of Capture Co.
Residents in one Chartiers Township neighborhood have become smitten with a family that moved in this spring: a litter of fox kits.
Neighbors noticed the kits – who took up residence in the hollow of a tree in a patch of woods near a township road – several weeks ago, and delighted in watching them emerge from the foxhole to play with each other.
One neighbor even provided the kits with a ball to bat around.
“We saw them several times when we went for walks. We’d see them peeking out of the den,” said Sandy Rock. “They’re so cute. There’s one who has black-stocking paws, and he’s so friendly and photogenic.”
While it’s not every day that people see foxes cavorting in their neighborhood, suburban wildlife sightings are more common these days, and foxes, coyotes, skunks and other critters increasingly can be spotted throughout Washington County.
Animal Control Services Inc.’s Kym Secreet, who serves as an animal control officer for several municipalities in Washington County, said she fields several phone calls during spring and summer months about wild animals getting a little too close for comfort.
“My business is primarily dogs and cats and domestic animals, but I get a lot of phone calls because there are so many questions and concerns that have come up about game animals people are seeing in this area, especially coyotes,” said Secreet.
Travis Lau, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, said species like fox, raccoons, skunks, and even bears, are highly adaptable, opportunistic eaters.
“Wildlife are much like people. They’re going to live as easily as they can,” said Lau. “If there’s a possibility they can get into trash, or if they find an artificial food source, like corn left out for deer, they’ll choose the convenient meal.”
The same rule applies to shelter, as increased development continues to shrink animals’ natural habitat.
“Generally speaking, there has been development and growth in most of the state, and when you have people in an area where they hadn’t been, there are going to be more encounters between people and wildlife, which is being pushed to the edges of places where they had previously lived,” said Lau.
While the game commission does not track wildlife populations, Matt Lovallo, game mammals section supervisor for the game commission, speculates recent mild winters have resulted in increased survival rates for juveniles, who make it into a breeding age – which would cause a population increase.
Dominic Montani of Capture Co. in Eighty Four, who has spent 35 years removing animals from people’s properties, said he has received more calls than ever this year about foxes who choose to den under porches, in sheds and barn floors, which are more weatherproof than logs and tree stumps.
Montani said there also have been more coyote encounters, as the Eastern coyote increasingly makes Southwestern Pennsylvania their home.
“I got a couple of calls the other day about coyotes down by Southpointe, from people who were walking their dogs,” said Montani.
In one case, a man who was walking his dog spotted three coyotes behind nearby shrubs. The other phone call was from a woman who saw a lone coyote while walking her dog.
Lau said the coyote has expanded its range, which includes New England, New York and New Jersey, and have made homes in suburbs and cities.
There are no predators of coyotes, other than humans, in the area, and Lau said coyotes generally avoid confrontations with people.
“They like to lay low, generally, but seeing one can be unsettling,” said Lau.
Secreet said we have to learn to peacefully coexist with wildlife.
“You just have to use your head,” said Secreet. “I wouldn’t promote interacting with a game animal. You need to be cautious. It can be beautiful seeing those creatures closeup, but they’re still wild animals and can be unpredictable.”
Secreet also warned that wild animals can carry diseases, so pet owners should make sure their dogs and cats are up to date on vaccinations.
“There are other actions we can take, like keeping lids on garbage cans, not throwing out food that can attract raccoons, skunks and possums,” said Secreet. “More and more, these game animals are coming our way, and often, people are worried about getting attacked, or their pets getting attacked. But for the most part, wildlife wants to avoid people. We really do have to coexist.”