WARNING AGAINST APPROACHING RACCOONS

[Anchor Lead]

There have been increased sightings of wild raccoons, normally seen in the woods and valleys, spotted in downtown areas. Some people approach them to give food, but making direct contact should be avoided.

[Pkg]

Two small animals are seen near a stream. They are wild raccoons sporting short legs and a pointed mouth. They seem to be unfazed by the crowd gathered around.

[Soundbite] "Oh, they are so cute."

They don't run away and even receive food from the people.

[Soundbite] "(Are you giving them animal feed?) I gave them anchovies."

[Soundbite] Go Jeong-hong(Taepyeong-dong, Daejeon) : "Many people were passing by and some were closely watching. It seems the environment here is a good habitat."

There’s recently been a series of reports in Daejeon of such sightings. Their numbers likely increased as finding food became easier with the restoration of streams in the area. However it’s best to avoid contact with wild raccoons as they can transmit skin diseases through mites and ticks. The highly territorial raccoon is a main vehicle of spreading rabies and can be aggressive towards pets. Therefore it is recommended to keep pets on a leash when going for a walk and encountering a wild racoon.

[Soundbite] Lee Gyeong-ho(Korean Federation for Environmental Movement) : "It’s best to keep a distance to encourage the animal’s wild nature of finding food on its own. Raccoons also carry diseases so making contact is not a good idea."

With raccoons coming out of the woods and appearing in city centers, more attention is needed on how humans and wildlife can coexist.