Although a raccoon looks like a nice and friendly animal, in our surroundings it is an invasive species that threatens other native animals. A reader wrote to the editorial office by email.
For some time, more raccoons have been appearing in the villages around Bolesławiec, readily moving between houses and around fenced properties. In Kraśnik Górny, we encountered a case today (7 July—editor’s note) involving a cat attacked by another animal. Conversations with local residents revealed that this was not the first such case, as a small dog had been fatally mauled outside a house two weeks earlier. A neighbor from across the street chased away a raccoon that had been frightened by his wolfhound. Cats and smaller dogs have no chance in a fight with this animal. In Osiecznica, people also observed a raccoon walking around yards. As a warning to pet lovers, animals that cannot defend themselves should be kept indoors or in a kennel so that raccoons cannot attack them. I am sending a photo from today’s intervention in Kraśnik; the cat has a terrible wound across its entire neck, probably also sustained in a fight with a wild animal.
We also warn people. If a raccoon feels threatened, it may be aggressive toward humans. Generally, however, it avoids contact with them. More about raccoons.
We have already reported several times on raccoons in our area:
Raccoons on the grounds of the hospital in Bolesławiec
A raccoon in Bolesławiec. Warning: it is better not to approach it