Buzz
Raccoons, often dubbed ring-tailed bandits, masked marauders, or even 'guardians of the galaxy,' have earned their reputation as pesky troublemakers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks raccoons as one of the leading carriers of the rabies virus in the United States, second only to bats. Known to attack when threatened, they also spread diseases like Leptospirosis and roundworms. The population of these creatures has surged dramatically over the past 80 years. Their habit of tipping over garbage bins and devouring the contents only adds to their notorious image.
Despite their troublesome reputation, raccoons also have an undeniable comedic charm. With their humanlike hands, mischievous antics, and ability to squeeze into impossibly small spaces, these creatures can find themselves in some truly laughable situations. This article takes a look at ten of the funniest raccoon incidents.
10. The Raccoon Mistaken for a Tiger
In Jonathan Lethem's 2009 novel *Chronic City*, a tiger is seen roaming the streets of New York City, causing chaos and damaging buildings. In April 2018, reality seemed to blur with fiction when the New York Police Department (NYPD) responded to reports of a tiger roaming near 166th street and St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem.
The warning set off a frenzy on social media, with some local journalists even advising people to avoid the streets, fearing they might be attacked by a tiger. In fact, some were even woken in the middle of the night with alerts about the wild tiger on the loose in the area.
Not long after the initial report, a news crew arrived at the scene to find no tiger in sight. Moments later, law enforcement clarified that although an animal had been spotted, it turned out to be a raccoon. The mystery of how a raccoon was mistaken for a tiger remains unresolved. The incident gained so much attention that an NYPD spokesperson humorously began answering calls by saying, 'It’s not a tiger; it’s a raccoon.'
9. The Raccoons with a Junk Food Addiction
In 2017, the St. Charles Animal Control center in Louisiana had to relocate a group of raccoons in Destrehan after the animals became hooked on junk food, including cereals, cookies, doughnuts, marshmallows, and candy. To prevent the raccoons from snatching food meant for over a dozen feral cats, local residents started leaving out this unhealthy fare.
The raccoons not only loved the junk food but also thrived on it. An animal control spokesperson reported spotting more than 31 raccoons weighing between 14 and 18 kilograms (30–40 lb). This was remarkable since the typical adult raccoon weighs just 6 to 10 kilograms (14–23 lb). These raccoons also lost their fear of humans, walking right up to people and begging for food, even approaching those seated in parked cars.
All of the raccoons were safely moved to a more secure location, and every feral cat was spayed and neutered.
8. The Raccoons Who Seized a Street
In 2016, a gang of over a dozen raccoons turned aggressive and took control of Gravier Street in New Orleans, holding the residents hostage.
The raccoons had made their home in a building that had been abandoned for over ten years. They terrorized local residents, chasing them across porches and yards. One person was even forced to block off his backyard to keep his grandchildren safe. Thankfully, no one was harmed during the raccoon siege.
The raccoons have been part of the neighborhood ever since Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, the area has become a hotspot for people dumping garbage, which only worsens the situation. Struggling with a growing number of animal-related issues, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) advised locals to seek help from local Wildlife and Fishery centers. These centers, in turn, recommended enlisting professional animal control services.
In the end, the abandoned house was torn down in an effort to resolve the issue.
7. The Raccoon That Refused to Take a Selfie
In 2014, University of Nebraska football player Jack Gangwish attempted to snap a selfie with a raccoon he spotted by the side of the road. However, the raccoon wasn't too thrilled with the idea and bit him in the calf. What could have been a funny tale took a darker turn when Gangwish, in retaliation, killed the animal with a crescent wrench. The raccoon's body was later tested for rabies.
PETA responded to the incident by calling for the University of Nebraska to take action against the football player, who had faced no consequences. PETA even suggested that all players on the team undergo empathy training.
6. The Legacy of the 'Nazi Raccoons'
In the 1920s, raccoons were brought to Germany with the intention of breeding them for their pelts. Today, the country finds itself struggling with an overpopulation of these animals. Raccoons are raiding trash bins, and some people are even being attacked.
In 1934, two pairs of raccoons were intentionally released into the wild to 'enrich' the local wildlife. A common, but inaccurate, myth claims that Nazi leader Hermann Goering ordered their release. Despite the lack of truth to this claim, some tabloids still refer to Germany’s raccoons as 'Nazi raccoons.'
Today, Germany is home to an estimated population of over a million raccoons, and the animals have even spread into neighboring regions, including the Alps. Contrary to some claims, these raccoons have shown no political allegiance that could justify their association with Nazism.
5. The Zombie Raccoons of Youngstown
In April 2018, reports began to surface from Youngstown, Ohio, about raccoons exhibiting bizarre, zombie-like behavior. Concerned residents flooded law enforcement with calls, describing raccoons that would walk on their hind legs, snarl, and then suddenly collapse into a lifeless state. After a while, the raccoons would awaken and repeat this strange cycle. Locals also noted that these raccoons were unusually unafraid of people and didn’t easily retreat. The most curious detail, however, was that these unsettling encounters mostly occurred during daylight hours.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources dismissed rabies as the cause of this strange behavior and instead pointed to distemper as the culprit. Luckily, distemper doesn’t affect humans but can be passed to dogs. Canine distemper is a severe condition that targets the gastrointestinal, nervous, and respiratory systems, causing symptoms like twitching and, in extreme cases, paralysis.
4. The Raccoon That Went Viral
Mark 'Coonrippy' Brown, a man from rural Tennessee, gained viral fame in 2012 after teaching his pet raccoon, Gunshow, to dance to Aretha Franklin's music. The video Brown posted went on to rack up more than two million views, with appearances and mentions on The Tonight Show and Good Morning America. Brown even received an offer from a production company to create a reality show centered around his unique 'raccoon whispering' abilities.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) also took action in 2013 following the viral video by seizing Brown’s new pet raccoon, Rebekah, after Gunshow’s passing. Brown had rescued Rebekah after her mother was killed while attempting to steal a chicken from a coop.
3. The Central Park Raccoons
While many people stay alert for potential muggers in New York City’s Central Park, raccoons might actually be a more immediate threat. In 2013, a Brooklyn musician was trapped by two aggressive raccoons near The Pond, located off 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.
The raccoons aggressively blocked Takara Larson's way. Before the attack, she managed to snap a quick cell phone photo of the animals. As one raccoon licked her leg, the other viciously bit her other leg.
Seeking refuge, Larson hurried to the nearby Plaza Hotel, where she obtained bandages and disinfectant from the concierge. From there, she was transported to Roosevelt Hospital, where she received 15 rabies shots in her legs, two in her hip, and one in each shoulder. She was required to return for further shots on subsequent visits.
2. The Raccoon That Stole A Doughnut
In 2015, a raccoon in Toronto earned viral fame after it ingeniously descended from the ceiling of a coffee shop to snatch a doughnut. The raccoon spent a few moments considering which doughnut to take, then successfully carried out the heist, leaving onlookers both stunned and amused. The entire event was captured by Peter Jensen, who posted the video on YouTube.
The video's description, 'Sly Cooper and the Thievious Donutus,' is a playful nod to the video game Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, which features the raccoon thief protagonist, Sly Cooper. After the doughnut theft, the raccoon's fate remains uncertain, and it did not appear to attempt a second robbery.
1. The Dead Raccoon That Received A Balloon
In 2016, a mysterious individual in the Boulder, Colorado, area attached a 'Get well soon!' balloon to the back of a dead raccoon, which was likely the victim of a car accident.
While many people on social media reacted with shock and criticized Boulder for making a feature news story about a raccoon, a significant number of locals stopped by the roadside to photograph the lifeless animal.
It remained unclear who was responsible for tying the balloon to the raccoon, but city workers reported seeing an unknown man drive up to the animal with a balloon in hand. Some speculated that the man had been the one to strike the raccoon and had attached the balloon as an act of remorse, especially since a nearby skunk did not receive a similar gesture.
For several days, the dead raccoon in Boulder lingered by the roadside, a helium-filled balloon fastened to its leg. Interestingly, this seemed a more compassionate end than most raccoons experience. In another bizarre incident that year, a group of pranksters in New Jersey went as far as to throw a toilet onto a private driveway, with a dead, frozen raccoon stuffed inside the tank.
