Clarksville Critters: What Wildlife to Expect

Clarksville is a busy sort of city, but we have a good assortment of wildlife around the area-- some of which you may not expect. My neighborhood has a large number of forest animals that like to make their way through. White-tailed deer are our most frequent visitors and cause many cars to slow through the neighborhood to watch them graze. Currently, we have two nursing fawns in the area. I can say despite the damage to the gardens, being able to watch the deer is a daily blessing of calm. 

Rabbits, squirrels, possums, raccoons, and groundhogs are some other often spotted critters in the area! Another smaller animal that you might not expect is the armadillo. While these were not present in Clarksville through my childhood, they started appearing around the city a few years ago. It's rare to really see any, but the evidence of their existence is everywhere! 

It seems like different animals are slowly moving to our fair city-- some better than others. Recently my family became aware that there were otters in the area (when they decided our pond fish were a buffet). While I am personally still upset that we are now lacking those fish, seeing an otter splashing around in the pond was pretty adorable. But, of course, most of the migrating animals are not so sweet as armadillos and otters. Tennessee is now also reported to have both cougars and alligators. While I've thankfully not seen any alligators, I have spotted a (dead) cougar while heading towards Fort Campbell. We've always had coyotes in Clarksville, but these predators shy in comparison to the large carnivorous cat. 

Most suburban cities have a good amount of wildlife, but it seems the diversity of ours in Clarksville is growing a little more every few years. Whether good or bad, be sure to respect the wildlife around you-- and if you plan to go hiking, consider taking something in case you run into a too big cat!