Raccoons Invade Chicago Lakefront Harbor

Lakefront harbor in Chicago invaded by raccoons.

Experience with Raccoons

Honestly, I have not had much interaction with raccoons in my life. I am thankful for that because I have heard they can be quite mean. The last thing I want is to be bit by one.

The only time I have ever come even close to an actual raccoon was at the zoo or dashing across the street in front of my car late at night. Besides that, just on television or in a movie.

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I realize that raccoons do live in cities and neighborhoods but to me, it seems strange to find them somewhere like Chicago. I understand that there are animals in the city and there are parks where they can live but it does still seem really strange.

Apparently, the animals do live in the Windy City and they have recently been causing a disturbance.

What Happened With The Raccoons In Chicago

According to chicago.cbslocal.com,

"These days at Raccoon Rock just south of Montrose Harbor along Lake Michigan, we can add walking right up to people and sniffing their hands and crawling right up to our cameras to the list of raccoon behaviors. And they’re operating in broad daylight – and taking over. Feeding the raccoons is technically littering, according to Chicago Police, so it can be subject to penalties for doing so."

Details Of The Raccoon Invasion

• People break a city ordinance by feeding the raccoons.
• More than 30 raccoons visit the area frequently.
• The population keeps growing.
• The animals come out during the day and go right up to people.
• They are not healthy.
• The area is not meant to have a large population of raccoons.
• The raccoons end up fighting each other and sometimes one ends up dead.
• Too many to survive on their own.
• They carry diseases.

How To Handle The Raccoon Problem

The Chicago Park District plans on educating residents about the dangers of feeding the animals and the harm that it is doing to the area.

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