• How to Locate & Detect

• Property Damage

• Human Health Issues

Raccoons, sometimes referred to as "masked bandits", are often admired for their intelligence and their ingenuity. But this often brings them into conflict with homeowners as the animals seek food and shelter. Their average weight is 12 to 20 lbs. (5.5 to 9 kg.) and they should be dealt with very carefully.

GENERAL BIOLOGY & BEHAVIOUR

• Raccoons are easily identified by their mask-like faces and bushy tails with alternating black and yellowish rings

• When conditions are favourable, they can live up to 12 years

• They will produce one litter per year with an average of four or five kits

• On average, there are 10-25 raccoons per square kilometre in urban areas

• Raccoons are opportunistic feeders and being truly omnivorous, will eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, insects, eggs, small birds and mammals

• They are usually nocturnal, but may sometimes come out in the daytime

• In cold climates they will hibernate for a good portion of the winter

• Raccoons are strong and agile, making them good climbers

• Their paws also have remarkable dexterity

• Raccoons emit a large number of vocalizations

• They prefer to build dens in warm, dry and quiet locations, often over bedrooms

• They are very active animals and will scurry around attics, chimneys and roofs, usually at night

• Feces and fur are often found at the entry point and there can be a strong odour detected

• Raccoons are able to gain entry through just about any common building material (e.g. wood, soffit, aluminium, shingles and flashings)

• In the summer when attics and roofs become hot, raccoons may seek cooler shelter under decks and patios

• They usually have 5-6 den sites in urban areas

• Raccoons like many of the grubs and insects which live in lawns and gardens. Rooting for these insects can cause substantial damage.

• Raccoons have very manipulative paws, which means they can open jars, garbage cans and even door latches

• They are also quite strong and will rip up shingles, soffit, flashings and aluminium

• Mother raccoons will do just about anything to get to their young if separated and will also try very hard to get back into a den site

• The babies (kits) can also be quite curious and destructive once they are mobile

• The first case of raccoon rabies was found in Eastern Ontario in 1999 and it has since spread to other parts of Ontario and Quebec

• Raccoons infected with rabies often cannot be distinguished from healthy ones

• Rabies is transmitted through saliva from the infected raccoon to humans and pets, often through a bite. Seek immediate medical attention if you are bitten by a raccoon.

• Raccoon feces are commonly infected with a roundworm known as Baylisascaris. If the eggs are ingested by humans, they can cause nausea, organ malfunction, blindness, loss of muscle control and even death. Extreme caution is advised to avoid any contact.

• The roundworm eggs are extremely resilient and can be easily transmitted through water runoff, soil and building materials to surrounding areas