By Michael Howie
“There goes a raccoon!”
I always get a little bolt of excitement at seeing nocturnal wildlife in the city while out for a twilight walk. They appear suddenly from under a shrub or fence, scurry across the road, and disappear with equal abruptness. When I see this while walking – or driving – I slow down. Not just to give space to the individual I saw, but what (or whom) may follow.
The trail cam recently caught a great example of this – be sure to watch to the end of the clip!
The first raccoon – who I think may be the mother of this little crew – spends their time sniffing, marking and going forward. Once they’ve cleared the main part of the fence, three other raccoons quickly follow.
It’s a good reminder that what we see of wildlife – a single raccoon crossing the fence or road – is only a brief snapshot of what’s occurring. Perhaps right behind that raccoon crossing the road are three youngsters, following in mom’s footsteps. Maybe there is another animal giving chase (or being chased). It’s hard to always know – and that’s why it’s good to slow down, be mindful that wildlife are around us constantly, and give the animals the space to get through our urban jungles.
Do you have great trail cam footage from your urban or rural home? Send it in to us via [email protected], or tag us on our social media channels when you post. Your video or photos may become a future Eye on Wildlife Post!
Michael Howie is the Director of Communications for The Fur-Bearers and host of the Defender Radio and The Switch podcasts. He lives in urban Hamilton, Ontario, on the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas.
