Calgary’s raccoon population is growing. Here’s why

More and more raccoons are being spotted around Calgary's green spaces and nearby neighbourhoods. The critters are polarizing but photogenic.

Calgary’s raccoon population is growing.

More and more of the mammals — sometimes referred to as “trash pandas” — are being spotted around the city’s green spaces and neighbourhoods.

It’s a trend Calgary wildlife biologist Sara Jordan-McLachlan says she doesn’t expect to change anytime soon.

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“In the last few years, you’re definitely seeing more — and more people are noticing them,” Jordan-McLachlan said. “I would guess we’ll [soon] start seeing them in more places around the city.”

Neither Alberta Fish and Wildlife nor the City of Calgary track exact population numbers, but wildlife cameras over the last five years have increasingly caught raccoons in places like Fish Creek Provincial Park and Weaselhead Flats Natural Environment Park.

More recently, videos posted to social media have shown groups of up to eight of the critters walking through Calgary communities — a relatively new sight.

Jordan-McLachlan likens the increase in raccoons to that of Calgary’s bobcat population.

“They are finding ideal habitats — those old spruce trees are creating excellent denning sites. They’re also finding lots of food in the parks and in the surrounding neighbourhoods, so they’re starting to venture in there.”

Raccoons can also populate in a hurry; typically, their litters can contain as many as six raccoons, and if conditions are ideal, they’ll all survive.

Antoine Ouellette, who runs The Pest Control Guy, says Calgary’s raccoon population is getting frustrating.

“From 2014 to 2015, I caught two raccoons,” he said. “This year, we had more than 40 calls.”

Ouellette says as annoying as they can be outside, it’s inside that they cause the real damage.

“Sometimes people say, ‘I thought there was somebody in my attic,’” he told CTV News. “I’ve seen them rip out insulation and go into the wall and scratch through it. It makes a mess, and that doesn’t even mention the electricity issues.”

Ouellette says many of the calls The Pest Control Guy deals with are in southwest Calgary, most concentrated around Fish Creek.

He believes area construction plays a role.

“We always observe a huge displacement of wildlife [around work sites], and most of the time it goes to the city,” he said.

So, just why are they here? And how did they arrive?

There are multiple factors, according to experts.

Milder winters, aided by climate change, are changing scavenging patterns of many animals.

Jordan-McLachlan says they can “end up on transport trucks or trains” from British Columbia or eastern Canada and come to Alberta.

“They are travelling along those river corridors,” she said. “I suspect they will stay close to green spaces, but they are going to be venturing more into neighbourhoods looking for food.”

So, for those who don’t want raccoons taking up residence in their yard, the advice is simple.

Jordan-McLachlan says to stop the population spread, residents must be cognizant of where their trash is. Don’t “invite them in,” she said.