A number of years ago, it took considerable differences between animals to define a species. Nowadays, the term "species" has become almost infinitely flexible, in many cases including organisms set apart by no other trait than their location.

The fuzzy definition has been very useful to environmentalists who can seemingly whomp up an endangered species almost on demand. ("That's not a gray squirrel. That's a Brosz's Back Yard Gray Squirrel! And there's only three of them in existence!").

Small farmers, ranchers, and other property owners have few defenses against this kind of attack.

It sounds to me like you live in a rural area. Beware!