We share turf with all kinds of critters

Many of our neighborhoods were built in a time when developers knew home buyers placed having a good-sized lot on their want list. As such, many older areas in town have a lot of green space that is just as nature intended, meaning we probably have more neighbors among us than we know.

Remember when you were a little kid and you were convinced that things came out in the night? You were right, only they weren’t lurking under your bed or in the closet.

Sandy Springs is hardly a wild habitat, but if you think you have to go to the mountains to see more than a squirrel you might want to save yourself a trip.

On an early morning jog last summer I turned on to Johnson Ferry and saw an adult deer calmly walking across the road and into the woods. I have no idea where Bambi called home, but in the past couple of weeks clearing work for the widening of Abernathy started in that area, so it’s likely someone is looking for new digs.

And that’s not all. There was a black bear sighted in town last week, which I’m sure will get your attention in a hurry. I’ve seen foxes, possums and raccoons. Late one night I heard coyotes.

I’m no expert, but when you see one of any species there are likely more nearby. As nice a community as we live in, I don’t think many bears grow up in the North Georgia mountains and decide to leave the family behind to get closer in for the shopping and good schools.

So the question gets down to how do we share our living space? Or do we share it? Obviously, some wild animals can spread diseases like rabies so there is the public health component.

And then there is the safety issue — I’m not sure I’d feel good taking the trash out and surprising a bear that was nibbling on what was already in the can.

But getting rid of them isn’t as simple as asking them to leave. They probably wish we’d do the same.

If nothing else, this should serve as a reminder that, although we have a piece of paper that says we own a parcel of land, a number of living, breathing mammals out there also have staked their claim. And quite often they can make their presence known with great affect.

My wife told me that when she lived in Midtown several years ago a grocery store that had operated in the neighborhood for years was torn down to make way for a modern facility. Afterthe demolition, the homes nearby suddenly developed a serious rat problem.

Try explaining to a rat that just lost its home that, while you sympathize, they are trespassing.

Jim Osterman has lived in Sandy Springs since 1962.