CALIFORNIA, Md. — Marylanders do not have to travel deep into the woods to encounter wildlife. A fox can cross a suburban yard, a beaver can appear near a neighborhood pond and other wild animals may turn up along trails, roads or waterfront property.
For residents of Maryland, development and natural habitat often sit close together. That makes occasional encounters part of life, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, which manages the state’s wildlife problems and nuisance wildlife programs.
Most encounters can be handled by giving the animal room, protecting pets and removing whatever is attracting wildlife to the property. The situation changes when an animal appears injured, trapped, unusually aggressive or poses an immediate danger.
Start With Distance
The safest response to most Maryland wildlife encounters is simple: Do not approach the animal. Give it a clear way to leave and watch from a safe location if necessary…