How much wildlife is roaming around Rochester?

May 21—Dear Answer Man: The other day I was driving late at night and I saw a fox near Cascade Creek. It got me thinking, just how many different animals can you find — if you know where to look — in Rochester? — Wild Life Larry.

Dear Wild,

A red fox, no doubt. Not to be confused with comedy great Redd Foxx.

Yes, they are found pretty much across the Northern Hemisphere, including right here in Rochester. You're not the only one who has seen foxes in Rochester. Answer Man has seen them not far from Cascade Creek as well. My sighting was about a decade ago not far from where the creek meets the Zumbro River.

Former Post Bulletin reporter and current Outdoors writer John Weiss took a photo of a fox in his own Rochester backyard.

Weiss, who is known for his love of the outdoors and the critters that inhabit that space, said he's witnessed a lot of different animals in the city over the years.

Rabbits and squirrels are so ubiquitous most people forget they are wild animals. Deer are seen enough that their presence also doesn't surprise anyone. Count turkeys in that same category of, "Oh, yeah, I see them from time to time."

But some mammals, like the foxes, can be a surprise. Mainly, he said, because they are nocturnal and they are smart enough to avoid humans whenever possible. That's true of most wild animals.

Weiss mentioned that coyotes are found in and, particularly, on the periphery of the city.

"Coyotes are opportunists," Weiss said.

A little bigger in the canine family, he said, are wolves, which may not be found in Rochester but have occasionally made their way to Southeast Minnesota.

"They had wolves over by Kellogg several years ago," he said. "They had to shoot them because they were killing calves."

Every once in a while, a bear might be spotted not only in the region but in Rochester.

Weiss isn't the only one keeping track of the critters. Ryan Tebo from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said there's plenty of wildlife if you just keep your eyes open.

"Rochester is home to a fair number of coyotes and red foxes," Tebo said. "Beavers, otters and muskrats can be found in the local streams and rivers."

He added that Rochester boasts an avian success story.

"Not that long ago the giant Canada goose was thought to be nearly extinct if not already gone, when researchers realized there was still a population of them in Rochester," Tebo said. "Quite a success story now given geese can be found everywhere in the city and that they are often thought of as a nuisance versus a shining example of a conservation success."

Of course, there's the pair of peregrine falcons that nest in the heart of downtown atop the Mayo buildings. The city is also home to nesting pairs of bald eagles. Weiss said nesting pairs can often be found southwest along Cascade Creek and in northwest Rochester along the Zumbro.

Other avian friends include passing Sandhill cranes, egrets, herons and owls among the more exotic species. Alas, our state bird, the common loon, is not usually found in Olmsted County.

Still, other waterfowl make a home here — ducks are common enough — including one of the larger ones.

"Currently two tundra swans are utilizing the wetland at Eastside State Wildlife Management Area — it's likely the same pair that attempted to nest there last year but were unsuccessful due to some unfortunate circumstances," Tebo said. "I was told last year that was the first time a nesting pair had been documented in Olmsted County."

What else? Turtles can be found in local streams. Raccoons, skunks and opossums can be found in town, though those are also nocturnal, so they tend to avoid humans.

To that point, Weiss said that while some creatures may inhabit the city alongside us, humans should give them space.

"When you see a wild animal, admire it and stay away from it," Weiss said. "They don't like us."

Do something wild! Send questions to Answer Man at answerman@postbulletin.com .