Ew, raccoon?

Raccoon at dusk in Toronto

Image EXIF Data

  • Date Taken: 19 Sep 2015, 18:52:16
  • Camera: NIKON D7000
  • Focal Length: 300
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • ISO: 3200
  • Shutter Speed: 1/250 second

It seems that one easy way to distinguish between a real live Canadian (one of the wild ones) and a relative newcomer to the country is to look at how they react to raccoons: the newcomers tend to think that the raccoons are terribly cute and splendid, whilst the more established folk are more included to have a reaction that could be characterised as ‘yuk!’.

The main reason for the ‘yuk’ goes by the catchy name of Baylisascaris procyonis, or the raccoon roundworm; this can infect humans (it tends to be kids) who come into contact with raccoon faeces, whereupon they migrate to the brain and cause fairly serious damage.

Short version: don’t eat raccoon poo!

I still feel that raccoons are still rather splendid creatures though – I clearly haven’t been here long enough…!

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