Page 4 - PGA Community News - April '25

Page 4, PGA C.A.N.! 2 Spaces April 2025
April 2025
Northern Notes

Raccoons – Misunderstood

Masked Marauders

By Katie Roundtree,
Director of Finance and
Administration
Northern Palm Beach
County Improvement District
Trash pandas, bandits,
thieves—these are all
nicknames for northern
raccoons. Raccoons, common
throughout Florida, are a
testament to the adaptability distinguish between objects. They have exceptional memories gardeners, distributing seeds to promote the growth of new
of wildlife. They can thrive in and can remember the solution to tasks for up to three years plants and trees. Their digging behavior contributes to soil
both urban and rural environments, even as their natural habitats without reinforcement. turnover, promoting decomposition and plant renewal.
shrink. A large part of their success is due to their adaptability Raccoons will eat almost anything. Raccoons are not fussy Raccoons help control populations of parasitic species
to new challenges and opportunities, whether that’s nesting in about their choice of food. Although classified as a carnivore, like lizards, frogs, toads and rats. When these creatures grow
cozy chimneys, invading chicken coops, or breaking into trash the raccoon eats as much, if not more, plant matter as animal abundant, raccoon populations rise to curb the population
bins, their reputation as sneaky thieves who prefer to steal trash matter during the year. When ripe fruits, acorns, and seeds growth. Raccoons also help protect bees by feeding on wasps,
to survive is a testament to their intelligence and resourcefulness. are available, raccoons feed heavily on them. At other times one of the bee’s main predators.
Raccoons are about the size of a small dog and weigh and places, they will feed on bird and turtle eggs, insects, Perhaps their most important role in the ecosystem is
around 1 to 25 pounds when fully grown. They are most notable crayfish and crabs, frogs, fish and small mammals. They’ll consuming carrion (or dead animal carcasses), which helps
for their black eye masks and ringed tails. Raccoons also have eat dead animals that they encounter, raid bird feeders for keep the ecosystem clean. In addition to benefiting ecosystems,
flat feet, with their hind legs longer than their front legs, giving seed and pet food bowls for kibble and check out garbage raccoons also help keep urban areas clean by consuming dead
them a hunched appearance. Their feet have five moveable toes, cans that aren’t secured. animals on our streets.
allowing them to grab and handle food. Both a raccoon’s front Raccoons are not fussy about their living quarters either. While raccoons can carry diseases such as rabies and
and rear paws resemble a human hand, featuring five slender, Under normal conditions, they usually select a den in a hollow roundworm, good hygiene and not handling raccoons can limit
finger-like toes that enable them to easily manipulate food and tree limb instead of the trunk. Dens in trees may be anywhere the spread. The best advice is to leave them alone, give them
objects. Raccoons have extremely sensitive front paws with from ground level to 60 feet above ground. However, in their space, wash your hands after gardening, and secure trash
specialized hairs, allowing them to easily locate and identify urban areas, raccoons demonstrate their adaptability by cans or other tantalizing targets. If you suspect a raccoon is
objects by touching them. This sensitivity increases when their choosing a wide variety of “cavities,” including rock and sick or behaving unusually, it’s best to contact local wildlife
paws are wet. While it appears that raccoons “wash” their food debris piles, attics, crawl spaces beneath homes, decks, sheds, authorities for assistance.
by dunking it in water, they are actually using this behavior culverts, sewer drains and the burrows of other animals. This NPDES tip: Your neighborhood drainage system is not a
to enhance their sense of touch. In fact, their scientific name, adaptability is a testament to their resilience and survival skills garbage disposal – don’t treat it like one. Encourage residents
Procyon lotor, literally means “washing dog.” When raccoons in the face of changing environments. to take responsibility and to not dump chemicals, fertilizer,
dunk their food in the water and, seemingly, wash it, they are Like all living creatures, raccoons play a critical role in their paint, oil, etc., in inlets or pipes. Discourage sweeping of lawn
really just making their paws more sensitive. Water increases ecosystems. Their role can be similar to that of a gardener or clippings and dirt into street drains and disposing of lawn
the tactile nerve responsiveness of their paws, allowing them to pest control, and they’re often referred to as a natural “cleanup clippings and other debris (wood, concrete blocks, Christmas
learn more about what they are holding and eating. The highly crew.” The raccoon diet, a mix of plants, invertebrates and trees, etc.) directly into retention lakes. Keep drainage facilities
developed nerves in their forepaw pads and their manipulative small mammals, serves a unique purpose in the ecosystem. clear of vegetation, trash, improperly and illegally discarded
abilities help them to identify items. Their forepaws are almost When they consume berries and nuts, raccoons act as natural appliances, shopping carts, tires, cars, garbage bags, etc.
like a second set of eyes. They will often rub and roll objects
in their hands or will even rub their hands together when they
are not holding anything.
Raccoons are also extremely intelligent and good at solving
complex problems. Some measures of intelligence have placed
raccoons above cats but below primates in their ability to

Drainage Information

From Northern Palm Beach
County Improvement District

Why do some yards flood after large quantities of
rain? The simple answer is according to most approved
drainage designs, some water is meant to be temporarily
stored in public recreational areas, yard swale and streets.
The excess surface water slowly drains to community
lakes or on-site ponds via street and yard drainage grates
and/or via swales, ditches and canals. The more complex
answer is that each yard is different. Some yards have
drainage swale areas. These are areas that are sloped to
catch water and filter out pollutants as water is absorbed
into the ground. Some yards direct water to the community
drainage system as run-off with very little water retained
in the yard. Familiarize yourself with how your yard was
built to determine how water drains from your home.

Editorial copy appearing herewith is not necessarily the viewpoint of
Seabreeze Communications, Inc. Most editorial copy is created by the
homeowners and is edited by their appointed editor.

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