Raccoons are medium-sized, fox-like mammals native to North America.Raccoons originally belong to deciduous and mixed forest habitats. However, they have extended their range to urban areas because of their adaptability.Several times, it might have occurred that in response to your dog barking, you turn to the patio to check, only to find a raccoon. A discovery like this is bound to bring many questions to your head. Is this animal safe, or can it be dangerous to be around? Is it about to turn aggressive? Do raccoons attack people?How dangerous are raccoons?Growing urbanization has led to many wildlife animals shifting to the cities. As a result, we have pests in all ranges from cute and fluffy to downright scary. A pest animal can be anything from chipmunks to snakes; thanks to urbanization today, you can encounter anything right in your backyard. However, no matter how cute an animal looks, it can be no marker of how much damage it can cause. Raccoons are a prime example of this.We cannot deny that these raccoons are cute to look at. They generally have a calm demeanor too. This might often tempt a person to pet and tame them. It’s important to remember that a raccoon is not the same as a stray cat. Despite their mesmerizing cuteness, they are still creatures who belong to the wild. Raccoons often get into a fight with stray cats and dogs and might even kill a cat if things get heated. One must refrain from going near them. Often confused to be friendly because of their small size, raccoons are strong and stocky. If threatened, they don’t shy away from assaulting a person or pet with their sharp claws and teeth. To make matters worse, they are also a rabies vector species. Rabies is an extremely dangerous disease and as yet there hasn’t been a cure discovered in the medical sciences. In addition to the rabies bacteria, raccoons are also carriers of a parasite called raccoon roundworm. However, humans only get infected when they come in contact with the bodily fluids of a Racoon.Do raccoons run away from humans?Contrary to popular belief and our favorite character, Rocket Raccoon’s portrayal, raccoons are extremely shy animals. It’s hard to find this curious animal in broad daylight. They mostly pester the city only at night. Even though they can sometimes turn aggressive and bold towards humans, they are the most cautious animals. Even mother raccoons are known to run away when facing big predators particularly, humans!Are raccoons aggressive to humans?As stated above, naturally, raccoons are not aggressive. Healthy raccoons don’t attack people. However, sometimes they might get curious and hover around you. A raccoon only attacks when he feels threatened, cornered, and scared. After that, they might lash out or scratch in the act of self-defense.They might even charge at you to drive you away. Raccoons attack only as part of their flight or fight response. However, even though this might be a bluff move, why risk it? They are wild animals at the end of the day and best left alone.It’s also extremely important for people and pets to keep away from them since they are carriers of rabies. Raccoons carry rabies and are considered carriers of most reported rabies cases. Rabies is an incredibly deadly viral disease that spreads from the saliva of infected animals in the United States. One bite can lead you to the ER and see you needing multiple vaccine shots.What to do if a raccoon approaches you?The best possible approach in a situation where you get in close contact or around a raccoon is to break eye contact and slowly back away. It’s most likely that they mean no harm and are just curious by your presence, but it is best not to startle them, as this will only invite their aggression. We have established that a raccoon’s aggression is not something people want to face. Try to make yourself look larger, as they fear bigger predators. However, never attack or pick a fight with a raccoon unless attacked first. It is best if you leave them alone and not get too close, as it’s not likely that they will cause you too much trouble.How to keep raccoons away?Many people believe that if you spot a raccoon in broad daylight, the creature has rabies. However, this is completely false. The reason why raccoons can be spotted in daylight despite being nocturnal is that they are in search of food. Food items like pet food are easily available during the daytime. They could also be in search of shelter. However, if you have raccoons on your property or near your home, they can cause significant damage. From blocking chimneys with nesting material to scattering garbage all over your property, they can be pretty much a nuisance to deal with. Some ways to keep this animal out of your home are to decrease vegetation so that they cannot find a place to nest. Alternatively, you can also plant cucumbers near your fence or garden since they hate the smell of it. You can also control them by coming near your property by using high sound and bright light. Avoid providing them with food as a rule of thumb, as food will only attract them more.What should I do if raccoons are on my property?Like with any other wildlife creature, the best possible way to handle a ‘raccoon situation’ is to contact the wildlife control authority in your area for some professional help. It is common for raccoons to attack your pets and make a mess of your property. However, this doesn’t mean that you should tackle them on your own. This can be dangerous for you as well as the raccoon. In the state of New York, raccoons have legal protection to make sure no harm is inflicted on them. This means that the only authority that can trap the raccoons are those licensed by the State Department of Environmental Conservation.What to do if a raccoon attacks you?Since they have adapted to urban civilization, raccoons do not attack humans frequently. They are used to human presence and, in most scenarios, just cause damage to your property but won’t physically attack you and are not considered dangerous. In most cases, a raccoon can be easily chased away. However, if you do get attacked by them, use a long weapon to keep them away. Raccoons are fast animals. Avoid getting close to them and stay away from their mouth at all costs, as they can bite or scratch if let into close vicinity.Do not inflict any harm on the raccoon; just push it away from your property if it starts being aggressive or if the raccoons attack you or your pets. The catch is that a raccoon will attack you if you make it feel threatened or inflict heavy damage on the raccoon. Therefore, you must focus on keeping the raccoon away from you or your property instead of hurting it and making it leave. If the raccoon is persistent with staying in your home, infected by rabies, or attacking you, run away and call for help. You must avoid making them feel cornered, as this will make them feel more threatened, and they might get more aggressive.All in all, raccoons are extremely cute animals. But it’s better to keep them at a distance. Enjoy watching videos on your phone or Instagram account as an alternative to getting too close if you feel the need to see raccoons up close! You cannot keep raccoons as pets and it’s best if they are kept well away from your pets, and your property. They also carry lethal diseases like rabies and can infest parasites. The optimum solution is to leave them alone if they are not causing any harm. They are wild creatures best left in the woods at the end of the day.
Raccoons are medium-sized, fox-like mammals native to North America.
