The raccoons are taking over

I hadn't realized it, but apparently raccoons are on the move. Indigenous to the USA and southern Canada, they are increasingly being found in places like Western Europe, Central Asia and Japan. And, with climate change, they are moving into areas where they used not to be found. One study suggests that over 60% of the world is currently suitable for the "raccoon invasion". And wherever they go, they establish a love-hate relationship with the local humans.

We are used to raccoons (affectionately known as "trash pandas") here; they are just part of the environment we live in. Toronto, in particular, is Raccoon Central. We can admit that they are cute, smart, dextrous, curious and interesting animals, but at some point this always tips over into annoying, troublesome, destructive, even detested. The residents of some of the newer raccoon habitats are just starting to realize that.

Raccoons were imported into places like Germany in the 1930s and 40s to farm for their pelts, and of course some of them eventually escaped (or in some cases were deliberately released, just for the hell of it). Japan had something of a love affair with raccoons after a popular children's book was televised in the 1970s, and thousands of Japanese children wanted pet raccoons of their own. Of course, that didn't go well, and many escaped or were quietly released when it was realized that they don't make good pets. In other places, they were used for medical experiments, alongside mice and rats. But, unlike the mice and rats, they managed to escape from there too.

Raccoons as an invasive species have proved difficult to eradicate. They are consummate survivors. Their birth rate is prodigious, and a surprising proportion of babies survive into adulthood, even in a hostile city environment. They can eat almost anything, and can find their way into the most unlikely of hiding places. 

Several years ago, the city of Toronto spent millions of dollars on raccoon-proof compost bins, only to find that their strong, clever little paws found a way into them anyway. (The most recent version of a city compost bin seems to be keeping them at bay ... for now!) Bungee cords just don't cut it. You can now buy t-shirts with "Raccoons vs. Toronto" logos here, or "Home is Toronto" with a raccoon poking out of a trash can, or "Raccoon City". For the most part, we have come terms with living in their city.

So, good luck Germany. Good luck Japan. From our experience, the best you can hope for is a grudging coalition; at worst, expect them to take over. In the meantime, maybe invest in some raccoon-proof bins. And maybe a t-shirt.