Are Raccoons Harmful

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     A raccoon is a very beautiful creature to watch. It is regrettable that most people fear them and always think that they can attack them. Raccoons are harmless and should not be killed immediately they are spotted.

Despite their gentle and harmless nature humans do not lie harboring them in their yards. This is because they are viewed as any other wild animal which should stay where it belongs. They are classified into six categories and occupy different environments ranging from forests to town areas. They are very flexible in their choice of food since they can feed on different types of fruits, small animals and insects. They also feed on grains and nuts. They are not however restricted to hunting for food on the land but will venture in the water to look for small animals living in water. They are able to use their swift paws to catch these small animals in ponds and rivers running through the forests.

When they leave the forest and go to the area around the towns, they look for their food from the litter pits .Their flexibility ensures that they survive anywhere since they will always get food wherever they go. This is because they will not lack food because the garbage bins are tightly shut. They will go ahead and use their front legs to open them. In case they get some food from a particular place, they will form a habit of visiting the same place looking for something to eat. In areas around the town, they like visiting the farms immediately after the rains. This is because rainfall encourages the insects to move to the surface so raccoons have an easy time digging around and getting these insects for food..

Raccoons are nocturnal animals and they look for food everyday. They are however adapted to surviving the winter period by hibernating so they do not look for food during this time. They build their dwellings in the hollowed parts of the trees and in case they make their dwellings at a residential area, they will be found in the chimney and even garages. Their teeth are adapted to chewing hard objects so they will also use them to make holes in our homes. This explains why they are regarded as pests by the home owners since they can end up destroying the property in a bid to create a comfortable place for themselves. It is however advisable to employ the services of an animal control expert who will ensure that they are completely eliminated.

It is however a relief to note that a raccoon is not dangerous even if it is found in our compound. It just lies lazing in one particular place for quite some time until a need arises and then it will be required to move again. The fact that it can lie on the bed or anything in the house makes people to feel uncomfortable harboring it in the house and that is why it should be completely eliminated.