Raccoons on the prowl

Every year in Toronto there is a new generation of raccoons. The young ones leave home and look for somewhere to live. They have to find a den and food sources, or they will die. The old raccoons have to hold on to their dens and food sources. Twenty-four houses provide just about enough food scraps for one raccoon. Moving a raccoon into another raccoon’s territory means it will likely die. This year has seen a bumper crop of raccoons. For some time there has been a small litter of four raccoons that test our boundaries every night and during the day. They climb into the apple trees and shake down fruit. They try to climb in through the bedroom windows. They sneak in the back door at night if I leave it propped open for a breath of air. They are everywhere. Here’s a picture of the little bandits on the neighbour’s fence.
See “Raccoon season is here.”

Tags: raccoons, animals, urban ecology