Mark Manley. Gregory admitted to shooting raccoons in his backyard. According to Costa Mesa Police and Dr. De La Torre, anywhere you live in Southern California, if you're having problems with wild animals, you're urged to contact your local animal control department and let them deal with the problem. Watch Now. Local News. Weather Traffic U.
Station Info. Newsmakers Our America Localish. Follow Us:. They can weigh up to thirty pounds and can be aggressive when cornered, with few predators willing to take them on. They are intelligent and have hand-like front paws that enable them to manipulate objects and excel as swimmers and climbers. Their hearing and eyesight are also quite keen. They are nocturnal animals and primarily solitary. During breeding season typically February or March , males will travel a few miles from their den, while females stay within a half-mile radius of their home.
Raccoons do not hibernate in the colder months, but they do become inactive and can lose up to half their body fat during that time. The raccoon lives in most areas of the United States, except in some mountainous areas at higher elevations in the Southwest. They are prevalent in the wooded areas of the East Coast and prefer hardwood forest habitats with a water source. They don't inhabit deserts, but they live near or on farms with crops and livestock watering areas in the western United States.
Raccoons make their dens in any place they can hide; hollow trees, piles of brush, abandoned buildings, barns and haystacks are all places where raccoons make a home. Raccoons are voracious eaters and can cause plenty of damage to a home or garden in search of food.
They are omnivores whose diet consists of everything from fruits and vegetables to nuts, pet food, earthworms, insects and grubs, rodents and even koi fish. They also eat chickens and their eggs. Raccoons catch both canine and feline diseases.
They are prone to distemper from both species, which can be fatal. Raccoon rabies is prevalent on the East Coast, but California has yet to report rabies in its raccoon population. Raccoons can cause considerable damage to a home and property. They will leave partially eaten crops and destroy plants.
They may seek to gain entrance into a home's attic or chimney when building a den or raiding garbage cans in search of food — in some instances, they will even tear off shingles to gain entrance to a home. A raccoon will seek shelter when it's time to give birth, when the temperature cools and when night falls. They will crawl on the roof of a home to gain entry to its attic; residents often hear their heavy movements during the night.
Most people in California live relatively close to wild animals, including deer, coyotes, skunks, bobcats, opossums, squirrels and raccoons. These animals generally steer clear of humans and should be scared away if they don't as it is only through negative interactions that they learn to avoid humans. Human interaction with wildlife can lead to the animals' destruction.
A person who comes across a raccoon that doesn't run away in their presence may encounter an animal that is sick, protecting its young or not afraid of humans due to feeding. When this happens, they should contact their local animal control office to report the animal. According to the California Code of Regulations Sec. The state describes harassment as an act that disrupts an animal's usual behavior.
It generally exempts small birds because a bird feeder does not interfere with natural behaviors. KQED is a proud member of. Always free. Sign In. KQED Inform. Save Article Save Article. News Fix. Jessica Placzek. Jun 14, Failed to save article Please try again. Photo courtesy of John Fife. Now she wants to know: What happens to raccoons that are live trapped in San Francisco?
Where do they go?
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