Wildlife abounds in California.

5 Creatures Found in San Diego Backyards and What to Do (Or Not) With Them

1. Raccoons

Native to North America, raccoons are nocturnal animals that forage and feed at night. If you live in San Diego and have a yard, chances are you’ve seen a raccoon rooting through your trash or eating your dog’s pet food. The raccoon is an omnivorous creature that eats nearly anything, including fruits, plants, insects, rodents, and whatever else it can find. Although it eats anything, usually the only things eating it are larger predators like coyotes and bobcats.

2. Skunks

Like raccoons, skunks are also nocturnal animals. Skunks hunt at night for insects, small rodents, snakes, frogs, berries and fruit, and will also eat pet food, bird food, and garbage. Skunks also love bird eggs. Skunks live in burrows, brush piles, and hollow logs, but will also hunker down under decks, porches, or buildings.

3. Rats

No doubt about it, rats are prolific creatures that can successfully live in most conditions. These rodents eat everything, and because their front teeth never stop growing, they like to chew on things to keep them worn down to a manageable size. Rats nest in quiet, dark and out-of-the-way locations and in suburban areas, tend to burrow under homes, in undergrowth, and even in gas barbecues.

4. Opossums

Opossums are marsupials (yes – like kangaroos!) and eat rodents, insects, snails, slugs, birds, eggs, plants, fruits and “people” food like table scraps as well as dog and cat food. Not dangerous animals in the least, opossums still may look like it when they growl or hiss when threatened. The animal will also “play ‘possum” when all else fails and act as if they were dead if they feel their lives truly are in danger.

5. Squirrels

Although they’re much cuter than rats, squirrels belong to the rodent family, too. Unlike rats, most squirrels are vegetarians that eat nuts, seeds, buds, fruits, leaves, bark, and flower bulbs. If you take a good look at the wide open grassy spaces in San Diego, you’ll most likely see a squirrel (or many of them) running across fields and up and down trees.