Dead raccoon on Pogodno

On Monday, July 14th, a resident of Szczecin's Pogodna district came across a dead raccoon in a park on Brodzińskiego Street. The woman posted a photo of the animal on social media. We asked the District Veterinarian if there were more raccoons than before, and whether contact with them and other wild animals was safe.

"Every dead animal must be disposed of," says Ewa Rutkowska, District Veterinarian in Szczecin. "The city hall is responsible for disposing of stray animals, and the owner of the land where the animal died is responsible for disposing of wild animals. If we see a dead bird or other dead animal, for example in a park, we should call the municipal police."

The raccoon's natural habitat is the forests of Central and North America. These animals were introduced to Poland from Germany. In the 1930s, two raccoons were released near the city of Kassel in central Germany to enrich the local fauna. Today, the raccoon population beyond our western border reaches 1.3 million individuals.

"Raccoons are a new, invasive species," explains Ewa Rutkowska. "They easily adapt to our environment. Raccoons are agile and cunning. They spread diseases and parasites, just like all other animals. Any wild animal can pose a threat to human health. If we desperately want to help, for example, an injured bird, we should wear rubber gloves, wash our hands, and disinfect them. Birds spread chlamedia – a bacterial disease. If a dog comes into contact with a raccoon, make sure the dog has a current rabies vaccination. There is no risk of rabies in Szczecin. We haven't detected any outbreaks, but it's better to err on the side of caution."

(CK)