A New York Daily News reporter wrote that while walking through the southern end of Central Park around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, he was shocked to see at least a dozen raccoons clustered near a low fence. But he wasn't surprised to see as what he called them a "Stupid Family" near the critters. The reporter had been told by another person that a family had been feeding the racoons.
He goes on to say that eveyone knows that raccoons are cute, but do we really need to explain that they're also dangerous and carry rabies? Proof? The city got wise to a rabies outbreak in Central Park in 2009 after injured and sick raccoons were captured and checked for the disease. The test is done via a brain autopsy. The city also launched a two-month program to trap, tag and vaccinate Central Park raccoons.
The reporter adds, "I'd never seen so many raccoons so I called up Sarah Aucoin, chief of education and wildlife for New York City parks". "Raccoons are a natural part of our urban ecosystem," she said. "We haven't had an increase in sightings. Raccoons become pests when people can't control themselves." She added that raccoons are no dummies, they go where the food is. "It's a delight to see raccoons in the park," said Aucoin. "But you need to enjoy them from a distance."
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