Nosey Neighbours

Thought I would share this photo of some nosey neighbours of mine:

Some baby raccoons, roughly 3 months old. Decided to sneak in during the night, apparently looking for some warmth. They were very cute, but entirely frightened and therefor vicious. We scooped them out in a box and set them outside so they could wander back home.

An unexpected guest while having lunch at the High Park Cafe a couple weeks ago.

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are extremely common- they can be found in the wild as far north as Alaska, and have adapted eerily well to city life too. Though a lot of Toronto residents dislike them, and may consider them pests, I think they are rather awesome. They are very intelligent, have dexterous hands, and in general have many similarities to ourselves. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources have issued a guide on our raccoon friends. I like the excerpt from this which says:

Wild animals have the same basic needs as humans – food, water and shelter. Sometimes, humans and wild creatures come into conflict when animals are trying to meet their basic needs. Often, conflicts can be prevented if we’re willing to make small changes to how we think and act.

Another great resource is Raccoon Nation, part of the CBC series The Nature of Things.  Its a really interesting look at what goes on in our own city, and the animals we typically avoid. Here's the link, and I highly recommend you go have a watch.

-brought to you by Marley Beach