Living with Wildlife

Understanding Urban Wildlife

The City of Carrollton has a variety of native wildlife that can be enjoyed from our backyards, parks, trails, and natural areas. It is up to all of us to protect native wildlife and their habitats. Please do not feed, touch, or attempt to catch any wildlife you find. We are visitors in their home and should view them at a safe distance.

Sometimes living with urban wildlife can get complicated. Coyotes cross a trail in front of us, opossums eat our pet food skunks den under porches, and raccoons raid our trash bins.

How do we learn to coexist with wildlife in our city? Below are many helpful resources for Carrollton residents which highlight preventative measures to reduce unwanted wildlife interactions.

Tips for Living with Wildlife

Most Carrollton residents are accustomed to the abundant wildlife that peacefully lives in the area.

It is important to remember that wild animals such as raccoons, opossums, coyotes, bobcats, snakes and other wildlife are natural inhabitants of Carrollton, and living in harmony with these animals is an important aspect of the natural eco-system.

Wild animal sightings in urban areas and suburban neighborhoods are not uncommon and are generally not a reason to be alarmed.

While abundant food and water sources in these areas attract the animals, they have a natural fear of humans and will usually avoid encounters.

However, there are some steps you can take to deter wildlife visitors:

Do not approach or feed wildlife.
Never leave pet food outside.
Restrict use of birdseed. Wildlife are attracted to the birds and rodents that eat from the bird feeder.
If possible, eliminate outdoor sources of water.
Keep yards tidy by cleaning up fallen fruit from trees, removing brush piles, and trimming low shrubbery to eliminate hiding places.
Repair dilapidated fencing.
Only put trash out on the morning of trash collection.
Keep cats and small dogs indoors, allowing them outside under supervision and on a leash. Cats should not be left outdoors to roam freely.
While wild animals are generally motivated to keep their distance from humans, residents can also yell, wave arms, and make other loud noises to scare and further deter the animals.