Living In Areas Where Raccoon Problems Are Possible

By Adriana Noton

The raccoon is an adaptable, gregarious animal. They are abundant in many areas and are considered a nuisance in some urban locations where they rummage through trash or den in people’s attics. They can also carry rabies and other diseases. However, many people find them intriguing and amusing animals. In urban areas they have become increasingly common. Some homeowners regard them as nuisances while others enjoy their presence.

At one time raccoons were not particularly abundant. They were mostly restricted to lowland regions of the Mississippi River Valley and deciduous forests in the Southeastern states. However, over the past several decades they have expanded their numbers and their range into almost every US state and nearly all of the Canadian provinces. They are still missing from some portions of Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

Raccoons can occupy almost any habitat. Although they prefer deciduous woods near water, they can adapt to pine forests, prairies, swamps, mountains and urban and suburban areas. Urban populations have grown tremendously in American cities like Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC. They can find homes in trees, abandoned homes and burrows made by other animals.

The North American Raccoon now has introduced populations established in many foreign countries. Russia, Germany and Japan all have reproducing populations of wild raccoons that were introduced in their countries sometime during the twentieth century. They have also spread into each of the nations bordering Germany.

In urban areas they can be regarded as pests. They tend to frequent dumpsters and trash cans and in agricultural areas they can damage cash crops and raid poultry houses. They also have been known to attack and injure or kill domestic pets like house cats and dogs. Dealing with the varmints can be a challenge. Many animal control officers and private businesses can relocate or trap problem animals, but populations are usually stable enough that eliminating the animal altogether is impractical. Instead residents should take care to cover their trash and avoid attracting raccoons.

In the wild, many are killed by vehicles or hunters. Life expectancies average under three years in the wild, although captive raccoons can live twenty years or longer. In addition to road mortality and hunting, some specimens succumb to natural predators like owls, coyotes and bobcats though predator mortality is not a significant control on populations.

Raccoons are known to carry rabies, so it is wise to avoid being bitten by one. Though the disease is rarely transmitted to humans, caution should be taken nonetheless. The animal also frequently carries distemper, although this cannot be transferred to humans.

Living with the raccoon can be interesting and challenging. These interesting creatures can be both fun to watch and a potential nuisance. They have adapted to living around humans. Now humans may need to adapt to living with them.

Wildlife control now available for all your problems. If you want to remove the wildlife infestation in your house, professionals are available for raccoon removal in London, Raccoon Removal in Kitchener, and more.

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