Unknown Creature Sighting

Once, while driving home at night, it was about 7 or so and I was turning down my street to come home. This is in Panama City Beach, Florida, by the way. There are some woods across the street from my home, and as I neared them, I saw a black object in the road. As I got closer, it looked like a coyote or some kind of dog, but I know it wasn't. I'm guessing the color was black or grey, and if it had ears, they were flattened. It had a skinny tail that didn't look like it had any fur on it. This thing wasn't furry to begin with, but it looked like it might have had some short fur. It was long and lean, but it's limbs were bent.

If you were to kneel onto the floor and bend your arms outward, that's what it looked like, but on all four limbs. It looked at me (I'm guessing, I didn't see it's eyes) and quickly crawled away like that. It was extremely quick, and it reminded me of a spider crawling close to the ground like it did.

Anyways, my second encounter with it was just tonight. I was taking out the garbage when I got to the edge of the road, and I heard a howl. It sounded like many howls in one, and out from the bushes came the thing, and I thought it was going to chase after me. I turned and took off back inside (I know you're not supposed to run, but come on!!) It howled again, sounding still like many howls, and barked a low bark once, and by then, I had already gotten safely inside. It didn't persue me, but it did jump out at me.

What in the world am I dealing with here? I'd like to know your thoughts on what this thing could be, so please respond.
Thank you.

Nothing to get yourself worked up over. Probably a possum or something like that.

reply to post by MightyAhti


animals love garbage. It doesn't surprise me that it'd jump out at you while taking it out. Animals only do things like that to humans when food is involved. That being said, I've never heard anyone freak out like that over a possum.

Was it one of these?


Picture

Sounds like it wanted to fight you for your garage haha. Try to catch it in a net just throw it on it. It will tangle it's self up in the net trying to escape. Then at least you can get a good look at it with a flashlight and figure out what to do from there.

Obviously a southeastern howling possum.
Noisy marsupials are scary.

Originally posted by heyo
reply to post by MightyAhti

 

animals love garbage. It doesn't surprise me that it'd jump out at you while taking it out. Animals only do things like that to humans when food is involved. That being said, I've never heard anyone freak out like that over a possum.

yea actually i have seen someone react that way to a possum LOL

me and my roommate at the time were visiting some freinds in studio city, ca

we were walking up to our freinds door, and a possum came out of the bushes and LOL I've never seen a large black man run that fast in my life

he ran like he was absolutely terrified and the whole night kept thinking it was a wolf

reply to post by MightyAhti


I show some new housing developments and subdivisions there, large condos, highway expansion and construction, a large Airport being built there. What is going on with all that growth? Don't you guys know we are in a depression? Anyway, lots of people moving into that area, encroaching on the wildlife habitats.
A coyote, that is what it sounds like you are describing, a coyote with mange, you said its howl sounded like it was from multiple animals, sounds very much like coyotes, they do travel in groups. There was a show on cable recently featuring coyotes, they crouched really low to the ground when they were close to the camera man, sort of sinister looking. It looked like they were grinning when they slinked away.