Wildlife: Heidi Chronicles: Baby Talk 2010, 1 by spartacusaby

spartacusaby wrote:
Go, Heidi!! I knew she wouldn't tolerate that kit's incessant screaming, but even so I'm surprised at how quickly she was able to resolve the problem. And I'm sure we know why Dennis was noticeably absent in Heidi's presence; I'm very sure she's in mama Heidi's doghouse, and has been told so in no uncertain terms.

Judy, I'm so sorry you had that experience. I agree with Cheryl that the story as presented by the ACO doesn't make sense. Only a very young baby, who would not be out in daylight alone without mother, would behave the way she described; unless it really was sick. An older raccoon, unless exceptionally acclimated to humans, wouldn't behave that way if healthy either. Your feeding the raccoons over the fence definitely wouldn't cause behavior that friendly. It's certainly possible the raccoon was ill, and there could be many causes including distemper and other canine diseases as well as rabies; but animal control protocol in VA does require that raccoons behaving "abnormally" be euthanized and usually tested for rabies. It's very sad for the young creature, but is in no way your fault.

Sheri, there's no question that Cheryl is breaking entirely new ground in her observations of raccoon behavior and interaction. There simply are no studies of raccoons in the wild that come close to her depth of experience. In fact, such studies are rare of any species: Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey with primates are the closest comparisons that come to mind. For example, the prevailing expert opinion is that adult raccoons are solitary creatures, coming together only briefly for mating; and that chance encounters between adults at other times will often lead to violence. Cheryl has blown that one out of the water, hasn't she?

Speaking of which, can't resist sharing the cartoon of the day: