BC SPCA caring for baby raccoons found "crying" for their mother after being orphaned

Jun 1 2020, 9:21 pm

The BC SPCA is currently caring for two raccoon cubs who were recently orphaned at the hands of a trapper.

According to the SPCA’s Andrea Wallace, the cubs became orphaned after their mother was trapped and removed from an area where she and her cubs had been living, leaving the cubs behind as a result.

The raccoons were discovered by a member of the public a few days later, when they were “heard crying and calling for their mother,” the SPCA said.

The pair are now being cared for at BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC).

“When they first arrived their eyes and ears were still closed and they were dehydrated and very hungry,” said Wallace.

She noted that the pair is now being fed a “specialized diet five times a day to ensure they get the nutrition they need to develop properly.”

The baby raccoons still have “a long road of care ahead as they develop and learn how to fend for themselves,” said Wallace.

In fact, she predicted “it will take until the fall before they will be ready for life on their own back in the wild.”

The SPCA said that this latest incident serves as a reminder that the BC SPCA does not recommend trapping and relocating wildlife away from their home.

“This is generally not a permanent or humane solution and can not only lead to situations like leaving young behind,” said Wallace. “It can also result in injury when an animal tries to escape a trap. The animal may also starve trying to find food, get into fights with other animals over territory, or spend vital energy trying to return home.”

For these reasons and more, she said, “trapping and relocating wildlife is not recommended nor is it an effective long-term solution as other individuals will move in in their place.”

Instead, the BC SPCA urges people who are experiencing wildlife issues to check out a number of the organization’s online resources.

Eric ZimmerEric Zimmer

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