Hairless raccoon found in Vero Beach to be relocated to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter
November 18th, 2011 by TCPalm.com
A hairless raccoon found Friday was deemed to be in relatively good shape (Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County)
By James Kirley
VERO BEACH — It’s not a chupacabra, the legendary creature reported to suck blood from the necks of goats and other farm animals in the Caribbean. Nor is it scary — just scared.
The critter found Friday south of the 17th Street and Indian River Boulevard intersection does look like something dropped out of a spaceship, so maybe it’s appropriate that it landed on Jupiter — that is, at the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter.
Ilka Daniel gives water to a hairless raccoon that was found Friday. (Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County)
“This is not mange,” said Ilka Daniel, Humane Society director of animal protective services, referring to its baldness. “It would be like a mutant.
“When I Googled (hairless raccoon), it popped up that the same thing had been caught in Kentucky and Oklahoma.”
Daniel said what also popped up were sites that said these creatures might explain sightings of the chupacabra, which scientists do not acknowledge exists.
This trash can bandit also sports a big scar down the right side of its head. Daniel said this is common among raccoons, which fight over food and mates. Fur usually hides the scars.
City sanitation workers found him — “Yes, it’s a boy,” Daniel said — Friday morning, trapped in a garbage bin at an office complex in the 1600 block of Indian River Boulevard. Dispatched to the scene, Vero Beach Police Officer John Grenzenbach said the animal was sitting in the back of the bin, nonaggressive and looking frightened. He called animal control and the Humane Society.
“The animal isn’t showing any signs of disease,” Daniel reported.
Nevertheless, because rabies virus — fatal to humans — resides in Florida’s raccoons, it is unlawful to relocate them. Leaving this one in an industrial trash bin wasn’t an option, either.
So Humane Society rescuers started working the phones. Friday afternoon, they got permission to take him to the Busch sanctuary.
“If he checks out healthy, hopefully he’ll be put on display,” Daniel said. “They have pens that are close to natural habitat. Given the circumstances, I think it’s the best outcome we could hope for him, and we’re grateful for their help.”
Most problems with wild animals are man-made, she added.
“The only thing that drives wildlife into our communities is a place to have babies, a place to live, food and water,” Daniel said
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November 19th, 2011 at 12:35 am
I love wildlife. Busch Sanctuary is a wonderful place for injured and displaced creatures. Please help support the facility. Thank you.
November 19th, 2011 at 1:05 am
Okay. Who shaved the racfoon?
November 19th, 2011 at 1:11 am
Protect it!!!
November 19th, 2011 at 1:45 am
When I moved to south Florida 15 years ago I discovered an area just east of the Sunrise avenue bridge in Fort Lauderdale that was home to hundreds of racoons. I would feed them potato chips and often found myself surrounded by the racoons many of which were of the hairless persuasion. I’m glad you published this article because I had often wondered what the hairless creatures were. They probably numbered 1 of every ten raccoons that lacked hair. I think they are more common than this article indicates.
November 19th, 2011 at 5:24 am
AHHH!!! IT’S A CHUPACABRA!
November 19th, 2011 at 6:02 am
I’m sure if they check, they will find that it is not really hairless. Most likely it has mange mites.
November 19th, 2011 at 8:58 am
@schua1-they did check, it does not have mange, it is a genetic mutant. Mutations happen fairly frequently, though I doubt they are the 1 in 10 as in rick’s post, though if they are breeding together, then the incidence will be statistically higher than in the general racoon population. Hopefully it will be permitted to live to a ripe old age at Busch.
November 19th, 2011 at 9:02 am
I thought it was a dog.
November 19th, 2011 at 9:16 am
it looks like a chupacabre
November 19th, 2011 at 10:26 am
Control World Population “SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR CHILDREN”
November 19th, 2011 at 11:06 am
potato carrots onions parsley one large pot put raccon in boil with water
November 19th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Tell you what — it’s a lot easier to look at than that BALD GOVERNOR!
November 19th, 2011 at 6:45 pm
I think its rather cute . but then again I have a hairless cat and i used to have a hairless dog lmao.
November 19th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
Personally,I prefer hairless beavers!!
November 19th, 2011 at 10:32 pm
I like to pluck my butt hairs with tweezers!
November 19th, 2011 at 10:34 pm
it does look like a dog, soooo cute
March 24th, 2012 at 2:05 am
bats in attic…
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