May 19, 2018

Location: Turkey Creek Sanctuary, Palm Bay

I am known as a Raccoon,
I have a black bandit mask.
I've proven to be smart and innovative
In intelligence testing tasks.

(I've been writing my blog in advance this year, so I wrote this post about two weekends ago, I'd been saving the raccoon picture for what would have been my mom's 86th birthday. Mom loved her raccoons and had one for a pet when I a kid. I don't remember it, but I remember hearing the stories about how Charlie would sit at the dinner table and eat spaghetti with the family.  

Those of you who do not follow my personal Facebook page won't understand the irony of celebrating the raccoon's intelligence on my blog today, so let me explain: For the last week, I've been dealing with wildlife trappers, home owners insurance and roof repair contractors - because a raccoon has trashed my roof. I found an Opossum in my attic, but it turns out that they don't make holes, they only come in via holes other critters have made. We did catch and relocate the Opossum and one raccoon, but I am pretty positive our roof-wrecker is still at large. Someone emptied both traps of the marshmallow baits last night and did not trigger either of them. 

So my raccoon saga continues. We have a tarp on the roof at the moment, but I'm hesitant to get the roof actually repaired until we catch the culprit, for fear he will just come back again. I'm sure my mom would have loved this, and more to the point, I don't think she would understand at all why I am trying to have a sweet, adorable raccoon removed from my yard!)

Sources: Raccoons Pass Famous Intelligence Test-By Upending It

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson