Raccoons (Procyon lotor) weigh between 8-20 pounds. Distinctive markings include a black mask over the eyes and a heavily furred tail with black rings. Raccoons are found throughout Georgia in rural, suburban, and urban areas including Trinity Lakes. As with all wildlife, raccoons should not be approached by humans. One reason for leaving raccoons undisturbed is their susceptibility to numerous diseases including canine distemper and parvovirus, in addition to zoonotic diseases (humans can get from animals) such as rabies and raccoon roundworms. Raccoon fur once was valuable to trappers an ..read more

Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) are common in central and southern Georgia and are moving northward. Only one species of armadillo lives in Georgia and the southeastern United States. Georgia law prohibits keeping armadillos in captivity. Because they are not protected in Georgia, they can be hunted or trapped throughout the year. Armadillos have few natural predators. Many are killed while trying to cross roads or highways or when feeding along roadsides. Long claws make them proficient diggers. Armadillos rely on a good sense of smell to locate food but have poor eyesight. Digging, is ..read more

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), or “opossum” as it is commonly known, is a native mammal in Georgia. An adult opossum has 50 teeth, quite a lot, and is not afraid to bare them when scared or angry. Its tail is about a foot long and has very little hair on it. The tail is prehensile which means it is can be used to grasp onto objects such as tree limbs. On average, opossums can be expected to live about two years at best, with a substantial percentage dying before their first full year. Major causes of mortality include predators such as coyotes, dogs, bobcats, foxes, raccoo ..read more

Common Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) are large turtles that can grow more than a foot long and weigh up to 35 pounds. Common snapping turtles have long tails and necks and rough shells. Snapping turtles are found throughout eastern North America including all of Georgia. In Trinity Lakes, the mud bottom ponds with lush aquatic vegetation are especially favorable. While snapping turtles are often thought of as aggressive predators, these turtles, in fact, are omnivores whose diet consists partly of plant matter. Snapping turtles spend most of their time underwater waiting for t ..read more

When sounds of their “honking” fill the air, hunters and wildlife enthusiasts look to the sky in search of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis). These remarkable birds have become more common in Georgia. Although Georgia has established a hunting season for Canada geese, these birds are a protected species under state and federal law and can only be hunted according to Georgia’s migratory bird regulations. Canada geese fly in a distinctive V-shaped flight formation, with an altitude of more than 3,000 feet for migration flight. The front position is rotated since flying in front consumes the m ..read more

Yellow-Bellied Slider Turtles (Trachemys scripta scripta) are among the most abundant of all basking turtles and native to Georgia. Any time the weather is mild and the sun is out, slider turtles rest on logs, stumps or rocks. Slider turtles are abundant in the ponds and streams of Trinity Lakes and can subsist on a vegetative diet, but are not normally able to capture healthy fish. Sliders can live more than 30 years in the wild. In Trinity Lakes, it’s common to see them sunbathing in a group or even on top of one another and, if you get too close, they’ll slide back into the water with ..read more

Black Vultures are large raptors. They have small heads and narrow but strongly hooked bills. The bare skin of the head is black. There are two types of vultures in Georgia, black vultures and turkey vultures. Turkey vultures have red skin on their head. At Trinity Lakes, both types of vultures can be found. One-on-one at a carcass, black vultures lose out to the slightly larger turkey vulture. But flocks of black vultures can quickly take over a carcass and drive the more solitary turkey vultures away. Vultures play an essential role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. These birds pick dec ..read more

The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is found throughout Georgia in both rural and urban areas. In Trinity Lakes, you can find both red foxes and gray foxes. The easiest way to identify the difference between a red fox and a gray fox is the tail. Red foxes have a white-tipped tail and gray foxes have a black-tipped tail. Red foxes are considered carnivores because a large portion of their diet includes rabbits, rats, mice, squirrels, birds and insects, however they also will eat fruits, nuts and berries. When preyed upon by coyotes or bobcats, red foxes utilize speed and endurance to elude predators ..read more

The River Otter (Lutra canadensis) is a member of the weasel family. The river otter thrives throughout Georgia. Otters range in size from three to almost five feet long from nose to tip of tail. They may weigh up to 30 pounds. The most common prey item for otter is fish and cause nuisance problems in Trinity Lakes. River otters can eat 20% of their total body weight each day and wipe out catfish, bass, or bream ponds in a short time. River otter are a valuable furbearer resource worldwide. River otter fur is used primarily for clothing, especially jackets and coats ..read more

With the eradication of the Red Wolf across Georgia, the Coyote (Canis latrans) has filled the void statewide. Resembling a small dog, a coyote has pointy ears and snout, mottled color fur and a bushy tail. A group of coyotes is called a band. Coyotes are considered an invasive species in Georgia.  Coyotes visit Trinity Lakes in search of rodents and even deer.   The local coyotes at Trinity Lakes keep a distance on the northern side of Trinity Creek, and shy away from human contact.  Coyote attacks on humans are very rare.   If mated with dogs, a female coyote can ..read more