"Once, when the garbage truck arrived to collect the bins, the animals were so reluctant to leave them that the raccoons literally had to be shaken out and chased back into the forest."
Two years ago, a raccoon was found in a Belarusian forest for the first time in many years. Dead, it's true. Nevertheless, this indicates that these North American animals have reappeared in the fauna of our country. Zoologists warn: raccoons look cute, but can behave much like rats, constantly rummaging through garbage. In which areas can these "migrants" be found in Belarus, and does this concern scientists, Pavel Veligurov, a senior researcher at the Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, told Onliner.
Raccoons lived in Belarus for about 30 years, then disappeared
— Raccoons were brought to Belarus back in the 1950s, to enrich the hunting fauna. The animals were settled in the territory of the current Pripyatsky National Park and the Srednyaya Pripyat Reserve. However, the animals lived in our country for a short time – roughly until the 1980s. Why they then disappeared is not exactly known. Perhaps because they were not adapted to frosty winters. Raccoons can hibernate, but for this, they need large hollows in broadleaf trees. And there are not many such shelters for them in our forests, — explains the zoologist.
According to the scientist, after that, for many years, accurate information about raccoons in Belarus practically did not appear. The species was only recorded in 2014 in the Berestovitsa district. Then there was another lull, and specialists assumed that these animals were no longer in the country.
— And only two years ago, we found a dead raccoon on the M6 highway in the Ivye district. During the autopsy, no signs of injury were found in the animal, so its death, apparently, was not related to an accident. The exact cause of death could not be established, as no additional studies for diseases were conducted.
"They literally had to be shaken out of the garbage containers"
After the find, scientists examined the surroundings where the animal was found, and also checked it for helminths. A specific parasite, considered potentially dangerous to humans, was found in the raccoon.
Since 2024, the search for raccoons in Belarus continues.
— Recently, we returned from a scientific expedition during which we surveyed potential raccoon habitats in the east of the Grodno region — in the Karelichy and Novogrudok districts. It cannot yet be said that the largest population of this species is concentrated there. But we know that raccoons are found in the Neman river basin. They have also been seen in the Ivye district on the banks of the Western Berezina and in the north of the Baranovichi district.
Scientists did not manage to see the raccoons themselves during the expedition, but researchers found animal paw prints on Lake Svityaz.
— We talked with local parking employees and rescuers and found out that raccoons regularly feed near garbage bins.
Moreover, once, when the garbage truck arrived to collect the bins, the animals were so reluctant to leave them that the raccoons literally had to be shaken out and chased back into the forest.
"The animal has very agile fingers and a well-developed brain"
Apart from its natural habitat — North and Central America — the raccoon is considered an invasive species almost everywhere, meaning it harms local ecosystems.
— For example, in neighboring Poland, there are already serious problems with raccoons. But mainly, so far, only wildlife suffers from them.
— And how does this manifest itself?
— The raccoon is omnivorous, eating everything it can find. It climbs well and is able to reach the most inaccessible places. For example, Polish specialists installed a photo trap near a crow's nest, which was located on a cellular tower about 20 meters high. The raccoon was able to climb up there and destroy it.
In addition, the animal has very agile fingers and a well-developed brain. Even in captivity, these animals are often able to open cages and escape on their own.
Recently, I saw information on the Internet that raccoons reached one of the largest colonies of hibernating bats and seriously damaged it. The report was about approximately 38 thousand individuals, of which, according to some data, about 10 thousand could have fallen prey to raccoons. Meanwhile, all European species of bats are protected under the Bern Convention.
Currently, the main task of zoologists is to find all habitats of raccoons in Belarus and determine how widely this species has spread here. As for measures to regulate their numbers, in the near future, the Ministry of Forestry plans to add the raccoon to the list of hunting animals.
— Raccoons are capable of devastating bird nests, harming small mammals, and other forest inhabitants. For nature, the appearance of such an alien species can become a problem: the animal occupies a new niche and begins to use available resources. Another point is coexistence with humans. Raccoons can live near settlements, feed on waste and, as a result, potentially transmit various diseases – from parasite infections to rabies.
If you imagine an animal constantly moving through garbage containers, there's little pleasant about it. In this regard, the raccoon behaves much like, for example, rats.
In North America, raccoons have long adapted to living near people: they enter cities and villages, looking for food near garbage bins. In fact, they can do the same here.
— Is there any benefit from them?
— For our fauna, the raccoon will most likely pose a threat. In its natural environment, its population is regulated by local predators. Theoretically, here, this could be done by wolves, lynxes, bears. But for now, we don't know exactly how actively they will use raccoons as prey, and it's too early to talk about it.
As for reproduction, raccoons reproduce quite actively. In Belarus, zoologists have already noticed both adult individuals and young ones in photo trap images.
Comments