Published December 19, 2023
5 min read
Have you ever come across viral videos of people feeding wild raccoons on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook? The videos show these bandit-masked mammals being fed everything from marshmallows and hotdogs to Pop-Tarts and homemade lasagna, making them appear cute and fluffy. However, experts warn that these videos are leading audiences down a dark path.
According to Jeannine Fleegle, a wildlife biologist with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, while it’s great that people want to connect with raccoons, there are serious problems associated with these viral feeding videos.
Feeding wildlife can lead to habituation, making animals too comfortable with people. While this may seem harmless to those feeding the animals, it can lead to aggressive behavior and poses risks to both humans and pets. Jeannine Fleegle strongly advises against feeding wild raccoons, highlighting the various dangers associated with it.
Raccoons can transmit diseases such as rabies, parvovirus, distemper, roundworm, and leptospirosis to humans and their pets, making it a substantial public health concern. Additionally, feeding wildlife causes animals to congregate in larger numbers, increasing the likelihood of disease transmission and fostering aggression and competition among the animals.
Feeding wild raccoons is indeed a dangerous practice, with severe implications for both humans and animals. To learn more about the dangers associated with feeding urban wildlife, click the button below to read the complete article.