Watch a preview of the PBS Nature film, Raccoon Nation:
When the lights go down in cities across North America, another world is revealed, populated by shady little characters that live alongside us, but exist in the margins. These pint-size problem solvers are smart, adaptable and omnivorous, and they love a good challenge. Welcome to the world of urban raccoons. With their busy little hands, they can do what other would-be urban animals can’t — open doors, get into attics, and raid secured trash cans. And they are especially fond of big cities, like Chicago, New York, and Toronto — the raccoon capital of the world. In cities everywhere, wherever they’ve been introduced, they have done very, very well.
Following a family of urban raccoons over the course of six months, and using high-definition cameras and intensive GPS tracking systems, “Raccoon Nation” reveals new insights about a species that is far more elusive and wily than most people ever imagined, and more destructive.
It seems that the more obstacles you throw in their way, the smarter they get. In an effort to outwit raccoons, we may be pushing their brain development and perhaps even sending them down a new evolutionary path. One biologist who has been studying raccoons for 25 years believes the city life is in fact cultivating “über-raccoons,” ready to take over the world. Only time will tell just how advanced this “nation” of urban raccoons will become. Raccoon Nation premiered Wednesday, February 8 at 8/7 c.
I strongly believe in caring for animals, be they my own, backyard wildlife, or feral cats that used to be house pets until stupid humans turned them out because the female became pregnant, and the babies are now feral. If the humans cared for their animals properly by either keeping the animals who came of age in the house, or better still, had them spayed, their would be no feral or unwanted cats and kittens. But, humans are often selfish and ignorant.
Few people can resist kittens, which I guess is why their humans don’t have them neutered right away as soon as they are old enough. But, for two woman (including myself), it was getting expensive. And, finally, all were captured and spayed or neutered, so my feeding bills dropped considerably. The cats kept the mice and rats away from the health food store where I shop. And, the cats have stayed and did not wander. No one seems to mind that they are there. And now, 8 years later, I’m still feeding the cats. Alive is one original kitten, now an adult and a mother of two living cats. All are spayed. They live as a family group. None of the humans who care for them would consider breaking up the family. They are feral, but they stay to themselves and only come out to feed.
For those who bad mouth feral cats, recall that the cats did not ask to be dropped when impregnated by other cats, who’s owners, like Nick Santorum do not believe in birth control. Birth control is a necessary item so that parents and adoptees can care for both children and pets who are wanted and loved.
I have move on to feeding more wild life, but now they are coons and birds, in exchange for their antics and teaching me how to photograph them. http://tinyurl.com/7h2y74m
I appreciate getting all the information on urban raccoons from Nature. I am going to put protective devises on the rain gutter downspouts. I think the program should have included more information on the dangers of these pests.
MSN headline: ‘They’re urban raccoons, and they’re not afraid’
“OLYMPIA, Wash. — A fierce group of raccoons in a west end neighborhood has killed 10 cats, attacked a small dog and bitten at least one pet owner who had to get rabies shots, area residents say.” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14486644/ns/us_news-weird_news/t/theyre-urban-raccoons-theyre-not-afraid/#.T0WMSocgeEs
It seems a pack of coons in Olympia has become very mean. It’s not just in Olympia. I heard about an incident in Seattle where the owner of a cat that had been torn apart by coons tried to retrieve the bloody cat body and faced an angry pack of coons that did not want to give it up. No unarmed person should approach a raccoon, even to save a pet.
It is also risky to handle any young wild animal which may well be carrying a disease or parasites. State laws usually forbid live trapping and relocating wild animals.
Thank you Gustaf. Anyone else remember the food chain? You wanna be at the bottom or top?
Raccoons are so interesting. I rehabed a pair of orphaned kits. they quickly learned to unlatch the cage, so I bolted it shut. Very shortly after, I was on the phone when i felt tugging at my pant legs. sure enough, they had learned to unscrew the bolt. I put a keyed lock on it. Keyed because I thought they might figure out the combination.
I have also witnessed just how tough they are. My friend’s trained guard dog cornered a full-grown adult. It waited for the dog to close in, jumped in the air and grabbed on to the dog’s back. The poor thing lost both of its ears before we got the raccoon to let go.
Excellent film. I watched it last night and donated to PBS this morning.. Great stuff..
I saw this show last night on NATURE. I was APPALLED to learn of the mass roundup and murder of tens of thousands of raccoons in Japan — especially by Buddhist monks who I thought were opposed to all sorts of violence (I once heard that they even would not plant anything because they might inadvertently kill worms while digging). What about peaceful acceptance of the lives of the raccoons? What about peaceful acceptance of the inevitability of the temples collapsing?
People have tried this approach with controlling the stray cat population in cities — and it just DOESN’T work! By killing groups of raccoons, you are just creating a “vacuum” into which new raccoons will move to fill the void. The Trap-Neuter-Release program is much more effective, not to mention HUMANE. Plus, there are ways to leave sterilization medications in food that the racoons can ingest. This has been done in places with rampant deer populations. I was sick to my stomach after hearing about the primitive, cruel, and ironically ineffective, ways that so-called scientists are trying to tackle this problem.
If only humans can be as efficient and adaptive as raccoon in their little domains! All our problems with regard to overconsumption and environmental degradation would be solved! Speaking about violence against raccoons, pair this viewing with the reading “Our Raccoon Year” by Paul Theroux in Harpers Magazine–where the animals made a beast out of an abandoned husband and family man.