Predators are animals that prey on other animals, their young, eggs, and nest. Predators consist of opossums, raccoons, skunks, fox, coyotes, bobcats, mink, otter, and weasels.

All predators are vectors for the rabies virus and cannot be relocated and must be removed from the property and euthanized when caught.

Coyotes: The most complaints come during the time when the adults are raising their pups and are searching for large amounts of food. Poultry, sheep, goats, rabbits, and small pets are all considered food. At certain times of the year corn, cantaloupe, watermelons, and peanuts are also considered food.

Fox: The most complaints come during the time when the adults are raising their pups and are searching for large amounts of food. Fox will attack small pets but rabbits and poultry draw the most attention. Fox will also eat corn, cantaloupe, watermelons, and peanuts.  Fox will and do den extremely close to humans and have been found under whirlpools, wooden and cement decks. Most of the time, a healthy fox will not attack and bite but will defend their den.

Opossums, raccoons, skunks, mink, and weasels: These animals not only eat some plants and berries, they also eat poultry, eggs, rabbits and similar size animals. Items such as trash left uncovered, pet food left outside, or bird feeders, will all attract these animals.

Opossums and Skunks eat grubs and worms. Both will dig small holes in search of food. If they are looking in your yards, it will look like a tiller hit it. Skunks will return every night and will den under your house. Skunks will roam in the daylight hours so if you see one just slowly back off. Skunks spray when they feel threatened, otherwise they are fairly calm and gentle acting animals. If you see a skunk raise its tailor stamp its front feet, leave quickly.

Mink, Weasels, and Otter: These animals are all related. For people who have fish, or crawfish ponds these animals can be devastating. A single animal can do great harm to a fish pond but a family will stay until they kill all the fish. On the coast, soft shell crab shedders can lose thousands in a single night.