A recently released study by the New Brunswick government shows that more raccoons are finding homes in the province’s urban areas as opposed to its forests.
For the first time this summer, researchers launched a campaign to try and determine just how many raccoons are in the province. The animals were live-trapped and tagged at 14 sites throughout southern and central New Brunswick.
"We studied the three habitat types – urban, agriculture and forest – and we predicted prior to the study that we would likely see more raccoons in urban habitats, primarily because there are more resources available to raccoons," says provincial rabies co-ordinator Mike Allan.
Based on the initial results, their prediction was correct.
The study will also be used to streamline the provincial rabies vaccination program, which sees vaccines placed in baits around areas where the virus could potentially pop up.
"By knowing that we can better plan if there is a rabies outbreak in the city,” says Allan. “We can certainly manage the disease better if it can give us an idea of the number of oral vaccine baits we want to place in those areas."
Allan says in the last three years there have been 31 cases of rabies across southwestern New Brunswick.
Pest control company manager says he’s noticed a larger population of raccoons in the last three years.
“This year they are experiencing more all summer long and into the fall," Flynn says.
To help stop the rapid increase of raccoons in cities, pest control company manager Greg Flynn says people need to start treating them as wild animals.
"They will get food on their own, People don't need to feed them,” says Flynn. “But you are causing a lot of problems for your neighbour if you are one of the people feeding them."
The province's vaccination program has been in effect since 2015.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Mary Cranston.
