I live in an old and charming part of Phoenix which, although not directly bordering the desert, is occasionally explored by coyotes, foxes, and raccoons.
There has been one report of javelinas, but I have never seen them.
Coyotes are the biggest worry for people with small pets. They usually visit neighborhoods at night although early morning is also a good time to catch them on patrol.
Many of the critters of my youth are no longer nearby. No desert tortoises or horned toads. No garden snakes and, thank God, no rattlesnakes. Those tend to stay on the outskirts.
When I drive out to visit clients in the farming communities, it's easy to spot turkey vultures, hawks, and white egrets. The egrets fly in when the fields are irrigated and they can easily feast on rodents and frogs.
Fortunately, we don't get visits from mountain lions. They tend to stick to northern Arizona.
Some ranchers keep donkeys in with their cattle in order to fend off coyotes, but a nearby homeowner who keeps cattle also has emus, possibly as livestock guardians.
Which is a reminder of the famous geese of Rome.
[Photo by Grace Anne Bobadilla at Unsplash]
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