Are there Raccoons in the UK?

Do you have raccoons in the UK?

Re: Are there Raccoons in the UK?

Sadly yes AC, but only a few because of escapes, 2 in County Durham just down the road from me. They are adaptable creatures, but i hope they wont become established we have enough invasive species over here at the moment.

Re: Are there Raccoons in the UK?

The gang my sister used to have visit her garden in CT. They were lovely, bright, friendly, entertaining creatures, loved them and wouldn't mind them in my garden at all! Even though they'd get through the cat flap & steal stuff!

Re: Are there Raccoons in the UK?

They are gorgeous looking creatures & I always say a little prayer for one that I see dead on the road (like I do with any car victim) but as Nom said they can be a pest.

We have a walk out basement out the back & our sunroom which overhangs the back deck had a family of raccoons living in the floor of the sunroom. I'd go out back & the aluminum siding floor of the sunroom above me would be bulging. This was a few years ago. I took a broom handle & pushed the bulging part upwards & heard this menacing low growling! It was scary. Mother raccoons will nest in chimneys too, they'll wreck parts of your house.

We let them stay there & just as we were getting fed up because of the dangers too besides raccoons carrying diseases, worms, etc. the family moved out! We didn't even see them go We had a friend of ours patch up where she had ruined the floor & block the area where she got in the 1st place.

Re: Are there Raccoons in the UK?

Ah, can't help feeling jealous, even though they did some damage!
The most amazing thing was when I put my hand on the window glass and a raccoon put it's hand on the other side. When you think of all the damage humans do, not just to live, we have to forgive them!

Re: Are there Raccoons in the UK?

We had a similar chat about Racoons the other month AC. I think the concensus of the Brits was we would love them here. We find them
cuddly and funny creatures.
If introduced creatures did not over run the wildlife here then it would be
good. If not we would be in the same situation as we are now with
American Grey Squirrels and American Crayfish etc. We do have some
wild Wallabies from Australia but they haven't gone mad because of our
cold Winters. We also have wild Budgerigars living down South and as
far as I know they are kept in check again with our Winters.

Re: Are there Raccoons in the UK?

These pics are from the late 1980s.
We fed the raccoons cheap dog food - kept them out of the garbage. (Yeah, I know, shouldn't have done it, but I'd probably do it again!) The babies are so cute!
We never had any problem with them, but don't ever corner them.

Re: Are there Raccoons in the UK?

The photos are beautiful. It's so interesting learning what animals are in one country but not another, especially when our country takes them for granted. They're super intelligent animals & can figure out how to open secure garbage cans, pry open entrances to your house, etc.
I would never encourage raccoons to get close though especially if you have other pets, their urine can carry disease such as ecuniculi & their feces, harmful worm parasites.

Re: Are there Raccoons in the UK?

We think meerkats are cute here too! When I live in SA we used to get warned if there were any around as they carry rabies and fight with pets.

Re: Are there Raccoons in the UK?

A friend of mine sent me pictures of a photographer snapping pics of baby meercats & they were climbing on his long telephoto lens, his head (hat), & body. They were very cute!