tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post7656538591359869781..comments2023-12-16T02:39:56.603-06:00Comments on Gordon Grice: Raccoons Attack WomanUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-4979749947142705492012-07-15T02:45:45.359-05:002012-07-15T02:45:45.359-05:00I wouldn´t be surprised if a large coati managed t...I wouldn´t be surprised if a large coati managed to kill a man... they are incredibly strong and fight fiercely when cornered. When I lived in a smaller town my classmates would tell me that "tejones" ("badgers", the local name given to coatis) would "rip dogs to pieces" when attacked. I've heard the same thing from hunters too. <br /><br />Interesting idea about the coons keeping away from coati territory- I don´t remember reading anything about their interaction in the wild, if there's any. I know a natural park near my home city is home to both species- I will try to find out if there have been any studies on that.Croconutnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-27699001230205279252012-07-14T14:43:35.649-05:002012-07-14T14:43:35.649-05:00I didn't remember that case from Ricciuti so I...I didn't remember that case from Ricciuti so I looked it up. He says the keeper "narrowly escaped" serious injury, as he was bitten in the head, but the teeth stopped a quarter inch short of penetrating the skull. <br /><br />Here's a link to other raccoon-related posts I've made. One involves a man mauled by an escapee from a "living museum." Another involves habituated raccoons invading a home and attempting to prey on a baby. No fatalities, but serious incidents. http://deadlykingdom.blogspot.com/search/label/RaccoonGordon Gricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13068980330242909601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-82925824353511828442012-07-14T14:21:27.011-05:002012-07-14T14:21:27.011-05:00I believe Ricciutti quotes a case of somebody--a z...I believe Ricciutti quotes a case of somebody--a zookeeper--being either badly injured or killed by a coati; the animal was lying on a branch in its enclosure, jumped down and attacked from above. Obviously that's something of an aberration in that procyonid attacks are rarely fatal and in captivity tend to be nothing like this dramatic.James Smithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-86939764375781472432012-07-14T03:43:45.932-05:002012-07-14T03:43:45.932-05:00Interesting. I wonder if competition between coati...Interesting. I wonder if competition between coatis and coons might somehow account for that difference? As in, the coons are afraid to invade the coatis' turf? <br /><br />Breaking into houses reminds me of reports from India of monkeys doing the same thing--another habituated animal.Gordon Gricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13068980330242909601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-86511658335366848332012-07-13T18:13:22.268-05:002012-07-13T18:13:22.268-05:00This is interesting; here we have raccoons but the...This is interesting; here we have raccoons but they stay away from people (although a captive one did attack my sister once). Instead, it's coatis that act in a very similar way to what James describes, sometimes even going as far as to breaking into people's houses to steal food. <br />A relative of mine had to actually put a lock in his fridge because a gang of coatis had learned to open it!Croconutnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-24998075038877122562012-07-13T10:34:56.938-05:002012-07-13T10:34:56.938-05:00James, your sister's neighborhood sounds like ...James, your sister's neighborhood sounds like a case of habituation, since the raccoon she confronted seemed to be accustomed to getting food that way. I would bet some of the city-slickers have been feeding them on purpose, not realizing how dangerous that makes the situation for everyone (including the coons). <br /><br />I share your gut feeling about raccoons. For me, I suspect it has something to do with how slow they are. They don't readily back down and run away from people even when they're not habituated. In that way, they're similar to opossums (which I also find creepy). <br /><br />Looking forward to the bengal pictures. I think people will enjoy your story.Gordon Gricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13068980330242909601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-80562687976656513782012-07-13T09:45:05.440-05:002012-07-13T09:45:05.440-05:00I have a sister in Florida who reports that the ra...I have a sister in Florida who reports that the raccoons in a rental housing development where she used to live are extremely aggressive and will charge people to make them drop anything they're carrying, presumably on the grounds that it might be worth eating. She and her dog (a small toy breed) were accosted by a large male one evening; she scooped up the dog and threw a rock at the raccoon, hitting him in the head. According to Mary, this did not completely discourage the coon, who sat down on his haunches and picked up the rock in his front paws before deciding it really was just a rock and not food!<br /><br />There's something about raccoons that really brings out the redneck in me, for God knows what reason. I suspect it goes back to the old city/country dynamic we've bandied about in past conversations: yes, raccoons can be found in urban environments, but very few city-dwellers are really familiar with how destructive raccoons are, or how nasty they can be at close quarters even when healthy. Whenever I look at a captive or habituated raccoon, I can't help but anthropomorphize: I feel sure he's thinking, "You come on over here and stick out your fingers, Jack--I'll show you cute. You'll never play the guitar again, I'll guarantee you that."<br /><br />P.S.--and talking of deceptively cute, the cat pictures should be en route shortly.James Smithnoreply@blogger.com