The other week we posted about the problem with one set of pesky little rodents. Not to be outdone, the little rascals known as Procyon lotor – more commonly known as raccoons – want their own shine.
The nocturnal masked-bandits have decided that the serenity of Central Park doesn’t cut it anymore and have taken to terrorizing the residents in the urban area that borders the park. While raccoons can be cute to look at (in pictures) the urban raccoon can actually be quite dangerous. They can grow to be the size of a small dog. Their front and hind paws are prehensile, meaning they are adapted to grasp or seize objects very well. They have also been known to kill cats, and unlike cats their claws are non-retractable.
The Daily News reports that raccoon sightings have grown over the years and the animals have become more brazen. Jokes in the Daily News comment section range from, “Now that Harlem is becoming a nice neighborhood, everybody wants to get in on the nice real estate. The racoons [sic] are not stupid,” to “i live past 140th street and now I have raccoons. No raccoons before the regentrificationof harlem. White people = raccoons. 
” And those are just the more polite comments.
If you find yourself with a raccoon problem here are some remedies to try:
Like any wild animal, the raccoon is attracted to an area because of a food source.
- Take away any cat/dog food left outside.
- Scatter mothballs under the house and partially bury a bottle filled with bleach and a rag in the dirt. The fumes should make it leave.
- Close up any holes once the raccoon has vacated the premises.
narmer
June 9, 2008
Important! Racoons are nocturnal feeders and travelers. So if you see one during daylight it might be sick or rabid, so keep your children and small pets away from them.
anon
June 9, 2008
Agreed, the wildlife was here first and should be given subsidized housing in the new luxury condos.
stalherz
June 9, 2008
Strange. Because this land used to be all forest, until we took it all down, save for a few miles of Park. Don’t you think it is us who are running wild on their land. Perhaps they are organizing a revolution themselves, along with the chained horses of the park, to finally drive the two-legged creatures off the island.
Just a thought in the heat. Probably wouldn’t have time to have it in the winter.
-Stal