Although distantly related to the giant panda, raccoons are the opposite
of an endangered species. Like rats, sparrows, pigeons and deer, they
are a species that profits from dense human settlement and spreads with man.
Human beings have knocked out or suppressed a couple of their key
predators, such as wolves and great horned owls, and have converted vast
acreage of North America's woodlands to cornfields, which provide the
raccoon's favorite food. Human garbage runs a close second, though. As a
result, a really scary website reports, "Estimates of five to 10
raccoons per square kilometre are common in rural agricultural areas. In
urban areas, exceptional numbers of raccoons, as high as 100 per square
kilometre, have been recorded."
Some fool released them in Europe a few generations ago and now they are
taking over Germany and France.
The good news is they are said to taste like beef, if properly cooked. I
have never had raccoon, but I'm always up for free, eco-sensitive,
sustainable protein. If somebody catches one of the buggers, I volunteer
to help prepare it and recycle its nutrients, in the spirit of the
locally-grown movement.
-- Tony West
Wilma de Soto wrote:
Mating Season for raccoons. Pray, one is not privy to a pair procreating on
a single tree branch at 3:00 AM!
The noise would rival, "Hazel Court" whose voice is still used for screams
in horror movies.
Raccoons have destroyed at least $2000 worth of my home property since
before 2000, notwithstanding the cost to have then removed.
...
Allowing the raccoon population to flourish is dangerous to pets who go out
and children who might approach them.
Sorry.
----
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the
list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see
<http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
