What is this creature?!
 

Fri, 5PM, my dog and I are finishing a walk on the paths at Paradise Lake, we're 10 ft from the car and she pulls me toward the lake. All I see are ducks paddling around so, I was surprised she cared about that. But no, instantly, a creature goes walking by that had my eyes get wide and my dog on high alert.

It looked the size of a malnourished Italian Greyhound (they're small), like this. https://tinyurl.com/3da8r8dn
It was about 15-16 inches high; weighed about 15 lbs. The striking features were: it was hairless, had an exceptionally long tail and long snout. I've been around thousands of dogs in the last 35 years and that was no dog.

It scurries across Paradise Dr towards the Archery field. A couple were in a golf cart at the stop sign there and their dog jumps out and gives chase. I could tell they were totally stunned that their dog did that. The smell of that creature must have been totally wild which is why my dog and theirs reacted to it.

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I thought that was the end of it and I'd never see it again - whatever it was. But, on Sat eve at 9PM, I'm driving on Bichara Blvd in Spanish Springs and I see it in the road eating some food. These are the only images I could get....they're grainy. Notice a tail that almost touches the ground, back legs like a kangaroo and a long snout. You can't see it but, it's basically hairless. My small dog was in the car and couldn't see it but, she caught a whiff from the AC vents and started to bark. Wild scent.

Has anyone else seen this creature? I did some keyword searching on an image search engine and these critters have been spotted elsewhere in the country. There's some dispute about what they are....small coyote or fox? Obviously with a serious case of mange.

‘Mangy coyote’ spotted in Pa. town turns out to be something else entirely - pennlive.com

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https://www.reddit.com/r/biology/com..._a_bushy_tail/ It looked closest to this but, without the fur.

One REALLY scrawny coyote?

Land Mammals - Red Fox | FWC

Could be a red fox.

I was going with the fox theory but, you could be right. It may be a juvenile coyote that's very undernourished causing the exaggerated sloop of the hind legs.

Here's one with the long snout, tall pointed ears and tail almost to the ground. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...is_latrans.jpg

How Mange, a Terminal Disease, Afflicts Red Fox | The Outside Story


Red Fox with mange.

Ok yep, I think that's right. ^^^ Very weird to see.
Here's an image that's almost identical to what I saw. Fox with extreme mange.
Mites, Mange and Misery in the Desert

Wildlife Health | FWC Wildlife Health | FWC


Mange is a serious problem you might want to contact the FWC. From my reading dogs can get it.

Taken about two weeks ago over near Vista Ct and Rio Grande.

I think it is coyote with mange.

Certainly looks like it. Probably deceased now.

Looks like a mangy fox? Best to keep your distance in case of the very rare rabies infection.

Looks like fox that shedding? I seen one couple years ago in fall and it looked same, probably scavenging road kill?

Wildlife has hard time surviving everything wants to kill it. Especially foxes and coyotes most of there habit been bulldozed.

Probably very sick, usually don’t see coyotes or foxes in daylight.

Mange looks like a very slow and painful death.

Oversized rodent?

Definitely a coyote. Do be careful with your pet

Hope someone has contacted wildlife officials. Maybe the animal can be treated and released in a better area!

Baby deer

Those mange diseased pics are so sad.

Really?
 

Only to be infested again, and the cycle continues. No wildlife official that I know of would attempt to capture and have the animal treated. If, and that is a big "if", they were to trap it, they would put it out of its misery. Move on, folks, nothing to see here.

This same fox with mange has been reported on Nextdoor for many months. Usually in the historical area or near Spanish Springs.

A Good Samaritan must be helping it out. Or several Good Samaritans.

Why no clear photo. Manipulated by the computer.

Yup. April 29th. Granada Court in Del Mar village of Spanish Springs.

Mange in Dogs: What You Need to Know | Healthy Habits For New Pets

I hope dogs around these areas are keeping away from this fox.

Poor animal it is in misery, hope it can be helped.

juvenile coyote that's very undernourished

Your two bottom pictures look just like what I saw - including the unusually slooped back legs.

I will email and call Florida Wildlife Commission. If anyone wants to bookmark that info, here it is: Report a sick, injured, or dead raccoon, opossum, squirrel, or fox
Report a sick, injured, or dead raccoon, opossum, squirrel, or fox | FWC

Thanks to Taltarzac725 for that reporting info.

My quess would be mangy fox near the end of its journey.

You are very welcome. Thanks for posting that link.

Chupacabra

it ran past me on golf course the other day, it's a young coyote.

There is a coyote with mange in the Villages' area as well as the red fox.

If you see coyotes or foxes in day time they are sick and desperate.

We see it often.
Apparently a fox with mange.
Spanish Springs area.

Yep, lotta weird things down here.

A coyote with mange.

Or a chupacabra

Put the picture in CHAT GPT and that will tell you.

That's a picture of my mother-in-law. I love her. She gives me a (burp) reason for drinking. 🤗