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6 varmints that we should embrace: Raccoons
6 varmints that we should embrace
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Photo:
Jaymi Heimbuch
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jamesjameson
Mar 15 2013 at 5:29 PM
Sorry, but although they are cute, I've had cats killed by raccoons and damage to my house and plants. They are very destructive, uprooting tomatoes and breaking the plants but not eating them and ripping tiles off the roof, never mind the feces on the roof and the tormenting of my dog. They also break pots and try to get in through windows.
Tarrant
Mar 17 2013 at 9:28 AM
The tormenting of the dog is a problem for us. We recently adopted a dog that was labeled beagle mix. Turns out she is actually mostly a dog bred to "tree" raccoons. Needless to say, she gets quite worked up when she sees one.
Tarrant
Mar 15 2013 at 4:58 PM
Raccoons are interesting to watch as long as they don't try to get in the house. The ones in our yard have tried more than once.
Raccoons
Ah, raccoons. They steal the seeds out of bird feeders and eat the fish out of backyard ponds, they knock over trash cans and scatter the contents, they move into our attics and garages and make stinky messes, they ransack food sources from crops to campsites. And let's not forget they spread diseases like rabies and parvovirus. Raccoons can cause a good deal of trouble for rural, urban and suburban residents, but however pesky they may seem, they play an important and often thankless role in keeping ecosystems clean and healthy.
Raccoons are scavengers and therefore are an important part of cleaning up carrion. They also dine on many other species we consider pests when numbers get out of control, including snakes, frogs, lizards and rats. Raccoons don't stick just to meat — these omnivores also feast on berries and nuts, which in turn helps plants spread seeds. No matter how much of a mess these characters create, they also do a great job cleaning things up elsewhere.
The only thing is, there's not a lot that raccoons won't eat, and their voracious appetite of all things edible can pose a problem, which makes our next varmint all the more important.
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