T h e   L e g e n d a r y   R a c o o n

The raccoon, opossum and coyote are probably the most successful animals, aside from rats and mice, at adapting to the lifestyle of humans. They live under our houses and sheds, in our attics and crawl spaces. They are known for their tricks at getting at food. What we throw away these critters consider high-class eating. If you feed your dog or cat out-side you just might be feeding these unseen guests as well. Coons and coyotes have learned to knock over trashcans and undo the lids. I have observed all these wild creatures living and thriving right in town. Many of these critters depend on your handouts and can get very bold in their pursuit of food. Some can get right down mad and fuss at you if you're not on time for their dinner.

Coons are very cute when they are little and we have raised a few. However, the wildness seems to always be in them. They manage quite well out of doors as pets but indoors they can cause havoc. We had a very tame one that seemed just fine until inside. Within seconds, newspapers, toilet tissue and kitchen trash would soon line the kitchen and hallways. Soon he learned about the refrigerator. One day as my wife opened the refrigerator door he just climbed in and cleaned out the bottom shelf and was aiming for the second shelf when we collared him. That was the last straw. It took some doing to get the mayonnaise and ketchup off him, but I was sure glad he hadn't got into the leftover mashed potatoes and gravy. As soon as we cleaned up the broken glass and food off the floor we made some phone calls. Arrangements were made that day for him to go to camp, a youth camp, where they kept animals for educational purposes. I did advise them not to take him near the kitchen.

The antics that coons go through when searching for food out in the wild is almost comical. Often we sit in a boat just off shore and watch the raccoons and their babies feeling and sifting through the muddy shoreline for mussels. Since raccoons don't have as many saliva glands as other animals, they need to dampen their food somehow before eating. After finding the mussels, they use their sharp teeth and claws to open them up. The mussels are already wet, so it's slurp and down the hatch. This process of food wetting gives the appearance that they are washing all their food before eating it. Until I learned this about coons, I thought they just had to be the cleanest and tidiest of all animals. In the natural setting these creatures would find most of their food in and around water or swampy areas, which in itself lends to the food-washing idea. They will leave mounds of mussel shells around lakes and rivers and often the remains of crawfish also can be found. Insects and small rodents are usually included on the menu of a healthy, wild raccoon.

The father coon isn't allowed to help in the raising of the young in most cases. The mother raccoon does all the training and feeding of the young. There are usually three or four babies in a litter and most people refer to them as pups or kittens. The mother can be very aggressive in her protection of her young. So don't ever make the mistake of trying to take one from her. Taking baby animals from their mothers is not only cruel but sometimes can be dangerous. Another bit of advice is not to get between a mother and her babies. Remember also that most animal mothers can raise their babies much better than we can. Raccoons are fascinating creatures and have provided some interesting experiences for many people. Stories of coon hunts and the ways a raccoon can throw a dog off its trail are legendary. My Granddad took me on many a coon hunt when I was a child until I realized how cruel it was. I stopped going, much to his disappointment. I am glad now that most honorable coon-hunters count the number of coons they run-to-tree and not the amount they kill.

There is now an overabundance of raccoons along our sea-coast due to over-protection and increased human population. People naturally love these little bandits and unknowingly contribute to their bad habits. However, along with the human food scraps and available pet foods, they are responsible for the destruction of approximately 25% of all turtle nests along the Atlantic coastline. This data comes from the Sea Turtle protection organizations in these areas. Their data also show that at least 22,000 to 25,000 turtle nests are formed each season along the Atlantic coastline. As you can see, the destruction of nests just by raccoons alone is sizable. I watched one large mother sea turtle struggle up the beach early one evening just after sundown. After traveling thousands of miles to just this spot, and with great effort and care, she dug her egg cavity and laid about 30-40 eggs. She then covered up the nest and struggled back to the water. Within just a few minutes, three fat raccoons came down the sand dunes and dug up and ate some of the eggs. This was more than I could take. I ran the coons off and covered the nest back up again, correcting this small eco-deformity. Nature has such a struggle to balance itself, but to interfere sometimes can cause even worse conditions. However, since people cause most of the problems in the first place, nature needs a helping hand on occasion. There are many laws affecting our relationship with animals so always be informed before making decisions to correct nature. Most of these laws were well thought out so be very careful, it could cost you dearly and cause even more problems in the future.

With the human population explosion that we are experiencing, wildlife and humans are going to clash even more. Raccoons are survivors and will dominate where other animals will suffer. The whole world is experiencing this same problem with the imbalance of people and nature. Much wisdom is needed along with a lot of education to solve these difficulties. May God grant our younger generation the wisdom to make the right changes and the courage to actually follow through with them.

Burney Tompkins

    - Uncle Burney