What animals am I seeing?
 

Twice, I have seen three furry animals, the color of a Hershey's chocolate bar, disappear into the preserve.

Each is around one foot to fifteen inches in all three dimensions and has short legs and little in the way of a tail.

I have always seen them from behind, so don't know what their head/face looks like, and from about 25 yards away.

Definitely not bobcats or coyotes.

Suggestions are nutria, possums or marsh rabbits.

Any thoughts?

Thank you

and that's milk chocolate, not white chocolate, so I have ruled out arctic foxes, too

Feral pigs?

Kayaker, i think you hit it...based on dimensions given. Beware of mature wild boars.

NY rats left behind by Bronx snow birds.

Nutria have disgusting tails - like rats.

Yep got to be pigs they are good eatin.

It might have been my lunch. Sometimes it gets away.

I saw a opossum in my neighbors driveway this morning. In my opinion they are one of the ugliest creatures ever. As Grannie would say, Jethro lets have some possum stew and grits.:icon_hungry:

Most likely a marsh rat. Small tail, body around 15 inches long, and a pointed snout.

Harmless and it prefers to live in the tall grasses and marshes but will come around bird feeders or Long Islanders.

I did think maybe wild boar, based on a website of Florida fauna, but these critters have what looks like thick brown fur

are feral pigs here furry, or do they just have a few hairs?

Yep, furry.
http://www.nbbd.com/photos/Animals1/hog.jpg http://news.softpedia.com/images/new...ral-Hogs-2.jpg

and the winner is...

...feral hogs

thank you everyone for your suggestions

I'll know where to come next time I need help with the crossword

Do you live on Heron Golf Course or in Sunset Point? A poster in April reported wild pigs digging up his backyard on the third hole of Heron.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...course-111306/

Thanks for the link, John - interesting reading

I have lived near the Mark Gary Morse Wildlife Preserve for four years and last week was the first time I have seen them, but neighbor says she has seen them on our lawn. No sign of any digging (yet!) so I guess we have been lucky. We also have alligators, bobcats and coyotes (the full ABC) so maybe they all keep each other in balance.