Yes, I really did see a racoon in my backyard on Sunday night at about 11 pm.. At first I thought it was a cat, but then it turned to look at me -- and no, it wasn't a cat! It then slowly ambled into my neighbor's yard as I raced over to knock on their door. By the time they came down in their pajamas, it was gone. :roll:

Ack! Has anyone else heard of racoons in Center City? How did they get here? Walking across the Walnut Street bridge? Or ambling through South Philly?

What to do?

Rachel :shock:

They really like chicken and fish bones. If you put some out, you could probably get a couple of families to move into your yard.

Nope, hadn't heard about racoons in center city,
but figured they're around.

Racoons probably have always been in Center City- the like water,
small creeks and streams where they catch crayfish and clams,
but they'll also take food people throw out.

The spend the day sleeping in a hollow tree if they can find it,
but I'd guess a discarded tire in a dry spot would be just fine during the day, or a dry corner up under a bridge would be fine At night, wander around the old piers on the Delaware waterfront for some night fishing

Make sure your trashcans in the area are closed and sealed
- a racoon is a natural lock-pick, their paws are really tiny hands,
just as dextrous as a humans- if it's possible to open something by fidding with it and jiggling it, a hungry racoon will get it open.

Hal

There are probably hundreds or even thousands of acres of land within city limits where raccoons could hide out - riverbanks, parks, abandoned lots.

We had one on N. 24th (between Poplar & Parrish) a few weeks ago. Got into our trash & made an unholy mess.

Racoons, possums, foxes, deer, mice, water rats, ground hogs. All call the city home. Some (racoons, possums, deer) acclimate themselves better than others. You'd be amazed at how well some of these animals adapt to the changed environment.

Out in Overbrook Farms, we see a couple of foxes (four legged ones) regularly. We assume they come over from one of the parks (probably Cobbs Creek).

Hell, ten years ago it was the Cobbs Creek cougar that had us all excitied.

There was one of those "who you gonna call" lists that someone published on line that got cut and pasted to web sites throughout the city. One of the categories (after loud noises, dog feces, etc. was "Cougar" with the Pennsylvania Game Commission telephone. I used it on the Old City site and always laughed when I saw it on others. You could always tell that someone had "stolen" it from another.

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

Hell, ten years ago it was the Cobbs Creek cougar that had us all excitied.

That cougar was tracked down behind my house.
Finding that out scared the hell out of me.

I didn't realize that it had ever been tracked down. I thought it had just disappeared out into Delaware or Chester County.

Kind of like Keyser Söze.

__________________
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

Racoons can adapt really well to an urban environment. Scarilly well in fact. Like rats as big and as smart as large monkeys (and they have something approaching an opposable thumb, as well). I had some friends who lived in a very urban area - a part of the Mission in San Franciso that was as at least 12 blocks to any sizable collection of trees and an entire troupe of 5 or 6 full grown raccoons would walk right in his backdoor, into the kitchen, and straight to the garbage can on a fairly regular basis in a warehouse/large storefront he shared with 4 other people. They had it set up in kind of an open plan/loft arrangment so imagine sitting on the couch watching the game with 5 or 6 people and 25 feet away from you a bunch of wild animals about the size of mid-sized dogs were staring at you in disbelief that you would be there interfering with them raiding the trash. If you made a bunch of noise they would eventually beat a retreat but you really had to consider how really unpleasant a full round of rabies shots would be if you attempted charging at them directly to chase them out. Plus that hissing they make when they are pissed, kind of like cats but lower, is kind unwordly and somehow almost human sounding - its creepy. Racoons that "urbanized" are truly formidable. I have read accounts of "gangs" of baboons in North Africa or monkeys in India that are worse and I can only imagine. Never mind the crayfish, raccoons can easily adopt an all garbage diet.

Bears adapt to an all garbage diet too, not they they are here yet. But beware, we better rid the city of all animals or they will take over.

12 Monkeys!

Maybe the cougar will come back to eat the racoons. Now that I live out near Cobbs Creek park, I keep looking for him. No luck.

But we do have foxes out here.

__________________
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs