Removing Raccoons from a School? Nothing new for Skedaddle!
Raccoons are always on the lookout for the perfect den site but sometimes they choose the wrong space, and this can lead to all sorts of problems for the raccoon and the people in the vicinity of the den. Skedaddle GM Tisha Hicks explained how Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control was recently called to an Ajax Highschool when, “A raccoon was spotted running around while her babies were trapped in the heating duct.” Many parents would assume that chasing a raccoon out of a school is an easy task and might not understand why the school called in Skedaddle. But it is important to recognize that teachers are at school to teach and while they might have an extensive knowledge of their subject, they are not wildlife control experts. The removal of any wildlife from a school building is not a job for the teaching or custodial staff, it is a job for a professional wildlife control company. And while getting the raccoon out of the building wouldn’t have been very difficult, the school understood that it was important to ascertain why the raccoon was there in the first place. A raccoon is not just going to be exploring a school building for no reason. They are either looking for a place to make a den or they may already have a den site in the building.
Tisha Hicks explained that any time you see a mom raccoon in or around a building, there is a high probability that there are babies nearby. In the case of Ajax High School, the raccoon had a den site on the school property and she was trying to get back to her babies who were trapped in the heating duct. Fortunately, Skedaddle has plenty of experience finding nesting or den sites safely removing entire wildlife families from all types of buildings. The babies were successfully removed from the heating ducts at Ajax Highschool and were quickly reunited with their frantic mother.
Tisha further explained that at Skedaddle, “We never take a mom away from her babies and if we had just removed the mother from the school and let her go on the playground, there is a high probability that the babies would have been orphaned. And this is a situation that we try to avoid at all costs.”
Skedaddles visit to the Ajax High School allowed students and teachers to see how a professional wildlife control company operates, and they could experience firsthand how important it is to keep animal families together rather than trapping the mother and separating her from her babies. This was a great learning experience for students and teachers alike and it encourages youth to take an active interest in wildlife and how animals and people interact.
Coexisting Alongside Wildlife
Not only is it necessary to teach children what to do when they find wildlife on the school grounds, but it is also important to teach them how to interact with wildlife on a daily basis. Before the onset of the long winter months, you will see many animals enjoying the last of the fall sunshine and making nests or gathering supplies to see them through the winter. If your children just take the time to stand still and look around them, they will be able to see the wildlife that enjoys their playground as much as they do.
If the school playground has a lot of trees and flowers, they will no doubt be able to spot plenty of birds and butterflies, but these are not the only animals they should be on the lookout for. Field mice can often be spotted on school premises and are typically found in long grass on the edge of playgrounds. Squirrels are another common sight at schools, especially where there are big established trees. At this time of year, they can be seen foraging for nuts, acorns, fruits, and berries.
And of course, wherever you find people, you will the ultimate urban survivalist – the raccoon. Raccoons are very adept at living alongside people but since they are nocturnal, they will not be regular daytime playground visitors. Skunks are also found in urban areas and can sometimes be spotted on school playgrounds, although they are not seen as often as squirrels. All these animals are great to see but you need to teach your children to be mindful of the wildlife and to never approach any animals on the playground, regardless of how cute and cuddly they might look. A wild animal is still wild and should be treated with caution and respect.
