So I’m sure you haven’t heard about any of the local wildlife in Prescott Arizona, and I don’t mean the locals. This is a retirement community and absolutely nothing crazy goes on here 😉 (Until you set foot on Embry-Riddle’s campus that is!!). Anyways, back on track here, Prescott isn’t only a home for retirees and brilliant college students, many other sorts of creatures reside right under our very toes……
The larger of these animals wouldn’t want you to stand on it, its definitely very dangerous and I warn you to avoid it. It’s a Mountain Lion!! These animals although gorgeous, are a force to be respected and if you happen to see one just back away slowly, but do not turn your back on the animal. If it becomes aggressive you must curl up on the ground and wrap your hands around your neck to protect yourself. Sightings are very very very very rare and the animal is as afraid of you as you are of it so you should not have encounter one in your time at Riddle. The best way to avoid this is to walk safely around areas where they have been sited a.k.a. The Dells (the rocks across from campus). Walking safely means walking with another person and not staying in the Dells after nightfall unless you are with a group of people and you have a light source.
The second largest animal is the Coyote, these animals are skittish and will run away if they see you. They are often heard at night in the Dells, but never seen. You have relatively little to fear from these creatures. The only time they are dangerous is if you see them in large groups or in the daytime. Coyotes have confidence in large groups so if you should come across a group there are two things that might work to avoid danger; Try to make yourself and your companion look intimidating or climb the nearest tree/rock formation. If you should see a coyote in daytime stay as far away from it as possible and call animal control. It is possible that the animal has rabies as they do not show themselves during the day unless there is something wrong with the animal.
Next is the Javelina or wild pig, only the large pigs are aggressive but if you see a baby pig leave the area as fast as possible because its momma is somewhere nearby and will come to defend her piglet. These avoid you more than you avoid them so an encounter with a Javelina is rare and if it occurs the pig usually runs before you do. If you should encounter an aggressive pig call animal control and get out of the area as fast as you can by whatever means you can use.
The other common creatures are snakes and scorpions. Cockroaches and spiders do make their appearances once in a while, but if you see scorpions or snakes you should be aware of how to identify and handle them. There are many different types of each of these reptiles, so I suggest some research so that are familiar with the species that you may encounter during your time at Riddle.
A final note that I must say is that animal encounters are rare, it is best to be aware of what wildlife is in the area so that you can know how to handle these encounters. I have been here a year so far and I’ve only seen a harmless Gardener snake, some seniors at Riddle haven’t seen anything but spiders and cockroaches. So again, be knowledgeable just in case, but I reassure you that such encounters may not even happen to you so enjoy your time at Riddle and don’t worry too much about our local wildlife 🙂
