A family of six raccoons that nestled themselves in the front bow of a boat parked in Southeast Kelowna have been safely removed by a local wildlife group.
Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control said the removal marks the first of what it anticipates to be a busy season at its recently-opened Okanagan bureau.
“Skedaddle’s service is unique in that they do not trap or relocate the wildlife they remove. Rather, their focus is on humanely removing all animals by hand, then repairing and fortifying the property against re-entry,” said Greg Hopf, partial-owner of the franchise. “When babies are present, as in this case, they are placed in a heated, baby reunion box on the property for their mother to collect and relocate after removal.”
He noted that during a follow-up with the family of raccoons a few days later, he and co-owner Darryl Sangster found that the mother had collected and relocated all five of her babies safely to one of her other den sites in the area.
“With up to 100 raccoons living in any given neighbourhood, it is important for homeowners to inspect and maintain their home to prevent wildlife entry,” he said. “As in this case, whenever babies are involved, it can lead to expensive property damage.”
The organization, founded in 1989, has a fleet of over 75 service trucks across North America. Their Okanagan bureau offers wildlife removal to the entire valley, from Enderby to Osoyoos.
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