Glace Bay raccoons unusually aggressive, blamed on human feeding

The invasion of bad-tempered raccoons sounds like a scene from a movie.

But it was reality for Glace Bay resident Geoff Oliverwhen he tried to leave his house Monday morning.

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The animals had rarely been seen around the neighbourhood where the family has lived for the past 20 years, he told CBC's Maritime Noon.

Until the summer of 2014 when the masked intruders began showing up regularly.

Oliver finally hired a trapper who caught nine raccoonsat $50 a pop.

"So, it was $450 out of my pocket."

Nothing seemsto frighten them

The animals showed up again this year.

"I saw them playing on the pool, walking across the tarp of the pool. I was probably out every night trying to shoo them away chase them, yell at them, scream at them. Do whatever it would take to keep on moving and it just didn't seem to matter."

Then the raccoons got more aggressive.

"Yesterday morning, I opened the door and at the bottom of the step were two raccoons. They came up the steps and actually tried to get in the house. They were clawing at the door."

It took about five minutes for theraccoonsto give up and move on. There were paw prints all over the glass at the bottom of the door, Oliver said.

He said his wife took pictures and video of the intruders.

"I don't think people would believe it otherwise."

Safety of four-year-old daughter

He said he doesn't like to think of what could have happened if his four-year-old daughter had opened the door.

"My main concern is for the safety of my daughter. Often times she is the first one out of the door in the morning. Thoseraccoonscould have attacked her, could have entered the house," Oliver said.

He called the Natural Resources Department who warned him that raccoons can be even more aggressivewhen the weather turns colder and they look to fatten up.

Oliver suspects there are neighbours who might be feeding the animals and causing them to return. He wants them to stop.

Natural Resources biologist Terry Power said it is evident the raccoons are used to humans and being fed.

"Someone in the neighbourhood would have been feeding those animals. They've become habituated to humans. It seems they are expected to be fed."

He said the department will work with Oliver to figure out ways to frighten off the animals.

'It is a food issue'

"Generally the things that trigger our involvement would be an injured animal, diseased animal, a certain amount of aggression. We look at these things on a case-by-case basis.In the long run, it is a food issue. People need to understand that."

Oliver saidhe isnot keen on spendingany more money on the problem.

"If our area is overrun with these animals, maybe a bounty might be considered to try and control the population of them."

But if he needs to, he will hire another trapper.

"The safety of my daughter is number one."