Coyotes? In Wake Forest? Apparently so. The town’s public information officer, Bill Crabtree, sent out a press release this week saying one had been sighted in the Holding Ridge Subdivision area on the south side of West Holding Avenue.
            A rumor that there was a rabid coyote is totally unfounded, according to neighbors in that subdivision and Bennett Park Subdivision to the west.
            However, Crabtree wisely listed the precautions people should use, such as not feeding coyotes – or other wild animals – and calling the Wake Forest Police Department (554-6150) or Wake County Animal Control (212-7387) if they see any kind of unusual behavior by a wild animal.
            A friend in Raleigh saw a squirrel acting, well, squirrelly – biting the wood on his deck railing, violently attacking another squirrel. He called Raleigh Animal Control and was told that because it was a wild animal it was an N.C. Department of Wildlife issue. After spending quite a bit of time in the telephone menu and phone mail without result, he decided to abandon the effort.
            Coyotes and squirrels may be your least worry. In a rundown of wildlife in the editor’s backyard, we find deer, possums, raccoons and woodchucks. Most possums and woodchucks are harmless. Woodchucks run away; possums seem to ignore humans except if you interrupt a big old boar possum eating the cat food on the back porch.
            Startled deer are a definite hazard and can run right over anything in their path. Try to stay clear of anything that is 200-plus pounds with sharp hooves and a running start.
            Raccoons are vicious and should be avoided. If they feel cornered, they will attack, biting and clawing.  
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            Speaking of wildlife, Wake County Environmental Services closed the Beaverdam swimming area Wednesday for the second time this summer because of high levels of bacteria. If there are two consecutive samples showing lower levels, the beach may reopen in time for the Fourth of July weekend.
            This closing underlines the need to clean up Falls Lake so that the 435,000 of us who drink its water as well as swim, boat and wade in it can feel safe. If a state senator or representative just happens to drop by a Fourth event, tell him or her you want the state to impose temporary rules now to start that cleanup.