Category Archives: Wildlife

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) weigh between 8-20 pounds. Distinctive markings include a black mask over the eyes and a heavily furred tail with black rings. Raccoons are found throughout Georgia in rural, suburban, and urban areas including Trinity Lakes. As with all wildlife, raccoons should not be approached by humans. One reason for leaving raccoons undisturbed is their susceptibility to numerous diseases including canine distemper and parvovirus, in addition to zoonotic diseases (humans can get from animals) such as rabies and raccoon roundworms. Raccoon fur once was valuable to trappers and resulted in significant trapping pressure. Today their fur has little commercial value.

Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) are common in central and southern Georgia and are moving northward. Only one species of armadillo lives in Georgia and the southeastern United States. Georgia law prohibits keeping armadillos in captivity. Because they are not protected in Georgia, they can be hunted or trapped throughout the year. Armadillos have few natural predators. Many are killed while trying to cross roads or highways or when feeding along roadsides. Long claws make them proficient diggers. Armadillos rely on a good sense of smell to locate food but have poor eyesight. Digging, is often considered a nuisance, although consumption of ants, including fire ants, and white grubs may be beneficial in other ways. About two million years ago, a relative of the armadillo as large as a rhinoceros lived in South America.

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), or “opossum” as it is commonly known, is native in Georgia and Trinity Lakes. An adult opossum has 50 teeth, quite a lot, and is not afraid to bare them when scared or angry. The tail is prehensile which means it is can be used to grasp onto objects such as tree limbs. On average, opossums can be expected to live about two years at best, with a substantial percentage dying before their first full year. Major causes of mortality include predators such as coyotes, dogs, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, and raptors, as well as human caused mortality through hunting, trapping, and vehicle strikes. Many people have heard of opossums “playing dead”. This unusual behavior is thought to have evolved as a defense mechanism against predators.

Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) are large raptors. They have small heads and narrow but strongly hooked bills. The bare skin of the head is black. There are two types of vultures in Georgia, black vultures and turkey vultures. Turkey vultures have red skin on their head. At Trinity Lakes, both types of vultures can be found. One-on-one at a carcass, black vultures lose out to the slightly larger turkey vulture. But flocks of black vultures can quickly take over a carcass and drive the more solitary turkey vultures away. Vultures play an essential role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. These birds pick decaying carcasses clean which help prevent disease outbreaks. A world without vultures would be an awful place filled with disease and decay.

The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is found throughout Georgia in both rural and urban areas. In Trinity Lakes, you can find both red foxes and gray foxes. The easiest way to identify the difference between a red fox and a gray fox is the tail. Red foxes have a white-tipped tail and gray foxes have a black-tipped tail. Red foxes are considered carnivores because a large portion of their diet includes rabbits, rats, mice, squirrels, birds and insects, however they also will eat fruits, nuts and berries. When preyed upon by coyotes or bobcats, red foxes utilize speed and endurance to elude predators. This adaptation is what made this species so popular for fox and hound hunting. Foxes are quite common. Although foxes are primarily nocturnal hunters, it is not uncommon to see a fox during the day. If you see a fox, the best advice is to simply leave…

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River otters (Lontra canadensis) have a reputation for goofing off. They spend a large part of their day wrestling, sliding on their bellies, and playing chasing games. Most river otters weigh 15 to 30 pounds. River otters are semiaquatic (living both in water and on land). An otter easily catches fish. Otters do not store food, but catch asmuch as they can before eating. Their favorites are sunfish, bass, minnows,crayfish, snakes, frogs, and sometimes muskrats, ducks, and mice. Otter fur is very dense and does a good job of insulating otters underwater. A river otter can hold its breath as long as two minutes and dive more than 40 feet deep. Today, the river otter thrives throughout the state, including areas in Georgia where its’ populations were once diminished. River otter abundance is directly dependent on habitat quality and availability.

With the eradication of the Red Wolf across Georgia, the Coyote (Canis latrans) has filled the void statewide. Resembling a small dog, a coyote has pointy ears and snout, mottled color fur and a bushy tail. A group of coyotes is called a band. Coyotes are considered an invasive species in Georgia.  Coyotes visit Trinity Lakes in search of rodents and even deer. The local coyotes at Trinity Lakes keep a distance on the northern side of Trinity Creek, and shy away from human contact.  Coyote attacks on humans are very rare.   If mated with dogs, a female coyote can produce a coyote/dog hybrid called a “coydog.” However, this is uncommon due to the unsynchronized breeding cycles of the two species. Despite its nuisance reputation, the coyote serves to maintain a balance in Georgia’s rodent population.

The Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is a common dabbling duck found in Georgia. The male mallard is unmistakable with a glossy green head. The female is predominantly colored mottled brown. In Trinity Lakes, the mallards enjoy feeding on the sedges surrounding the lakes and acorns from the oak trees. The average life expectancy is three years, but they can live to twenty. The predation-avoidance behavior of sleeping with one eye open, allowing one brain hemisphere to remain aware while the other half sleeps, was first demonstrated in mallards, although it is believed to be widespread among birds in general.

The Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) is the most common rabbit in Georgia and can be found in Trinity Lakes. It has dense brown to gray fur on its back with a white underside and white or “cotton” tail. Adults weigh 2 to 4 pounds with a home range that covers 4 to 13 acres.. Cottontails are very productive with up to seven litters per year with 4-7 bunnies per litter. The bunnies are weaned from their mother after 14 days Brush and briar thickets provide important cover from predators and mortality rates are greater when rabbits venture into open areas. Annual mortality rates average about 80% per year as predators include coyotes, bobcats, foxes, owls, and hawks.

Beavers (Castor canadensis) were almost eliminated from Georgia because of unregulated trapping and habitat loss. Wildlife restoration efforts were quickly successful and beavers are thriving statewide today. Beavers are found in the creeks and ponds of Trinity Lakes. Beavers are North America’s largest rodents and live on both land and in water. Their broad flat tails are used for stability while sitting, feeding or chewing trees. Beavers create their own shelter in the form of either bank dens or lodges. Dens are created by digging a series of holes in the water banks. The beaver’s most famous signature is the dam. Wetlands created by beavers provide excellent habitat for plants, animals, waterfowl and migratory birds. The wetlands also serve as a filtration system trapping sediments and improving water quality.