Q: Yesterday evening at approximately 6:00 we glanced out into our back yard and saw an animal that we are pretty certain was a grey wolf. Both my husband and I saw it and agree that it definitely wasn’t a grey fox. It was much larger. Do we have grey wolves in this part of the country?

A: The gray wolf has been able to adapt to most any habitat except the rain forest and true desert conditions. Although it is possible it was a wolf, I am more inclined to believe it was a coyote. Coyotes are in the dog family therefore they would possess similar characteristics. With removal of habitats for home and commercial development the wolf, bear and coyote have been losing their homes which means they must move to other potential sites for food and shelter. This means more of us are seeing these creatures. Coyotes usually eat rodents, snakes or insects and they have been known to eat carrion (dead animals). However there is always the potential for harming young livestock which can create problems for local farmers. Attached is the UF/IFAS publication on coyotes: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW127

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