Predatory animal spotted in Little Falls
Tuesday September 24, 2013, 5:10 PM
Little Falls resident Peter Samp, 59, captured this photo of a predatory animal in his backyard on Cheryl Court in Little Falls
BY MATTHEW KADOSH
STAFF WRITER
Passaic Valley Today
Print | E-mail
LITTLE FALLS - It was a normal Sunday morning for Peter Samp, 59, of Cheryl Court. That is until he looked into his backyard and spied a lanky, four legged animal, with brownish balding fur and pointy ears.
[Little Falls resident Peter Samp, 59, captured this photo of a predatory animal in his backyard on Cheryl Court in Little Falls.]
PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER SAMP
Little Falls resident Peter Samp, 59, captured this photo of a predatory animal in his backyard on Cheryl Court in Little Falls.
Samp said he had previously seen the animal Wednesday evening, but this time he did what any good newspaper reader would do. He whipped out his camera, snapped a photo of it and sent it off to Passaic Valley Today.
Coyote, he thought.
He also called police. "'There's not much we can do about it,'" Samp said, recalling their comments. "There's not a whole pack going around."
Police Chief John Dmuchowski said they were aware of the two sightings and that they notified their animal control officer, who said that type animal is not typically out during the day, possibly indicating a disease.
If it was a coyote, Samp's concern was not misplaced.
"If your sure there's a coyote around and its making repeat visits, you want to make sure your pets are safe and you kids are safe," said state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) spokesman Bob Considine. "It's a rare event that coyote attacks humans, but it does happen."
However, after running the photo by several DEP experts, Considine said, it was likely a "mangy fox." The white tipped tale tipped them off to the animal's identity, Considine said.
Mangy foxes pose a danger all their own, albeit mostly to themselves.
"We have seen quite a bit of mange this year," he said, of the large fox population in Island Beach State Park. "They have these mites and they spread. It's very contagious."
Sarcoptic mange, is known as the "biggest killer" of red foxes and coyote in New Jersey, according to the DEP website. It can also spread to dogs, Considine said. The mites burrow into the animals' skin causing intense itching from an allergic reaction to the bite, and as a result, hair loss, according to the DEP.
And as always, "Animals that appear sick or that are acting abnormally should be avoided," the DEP advises. "The following symptoms may indicate the presence of rabies or other neurological diseases in mammals: unprovoked aggression, impaired movement, paralysis or lack of coordination, unusually friendly behavior and disorientation."
- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/225066502_Predatory_animal_spotted_in_Little_Falls.html?page=all#sthash.ePsbaqnw.dpuf