Gaze of Raccoons Sneak Onto White House Grounds
EmailThe Jonas brothers are not the only cute ‘n cuddly ‘n unexpected guests spotted at the White House in recent days.
As first reported by the Washington Post’s Michael Shear, ABC News has learned that a gaze of raccoons — one large one and several medium-sized ones — have invaded the 18 acres of the White House grounds and are currently in hot pursuit by the National Park Service.
Live traps bearing ulteriorally-motivated gifts of cat food, apples, and peanut butter (hopefully salmonella-free) have been set up throughout the grounds to capture the raccoons without hurting them, with the goal of releasing them into a more wooded area of Washington, D.C.
White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton tells ABC News that "the idea of raccoons on the White House grounds give us great paws." (Cue rim-shot.)
Combined with the 36-acre Ellipse to the south of the White House and other surround lands, the 18 acres of White House sits on "President’s Park" which has been designated Park Reservation Number One and is maintained by the National Park Service.
The raccoons were spotted by National Park Service personnel on the grounds; they do not seem to have invaded any White House trash cans. Yet.
– jpt
UPDATE: ABC News’ Brian Hartman reminds us that raccoons in Washington, DC, can be dangerous. Last October, the Washington Post reported that the District Department of Health was trying to locate a Latino male teenager seen holding a rabid raccoon. "Metropolitan police officers found the raccoon in an alley unable to walk and sneezing in the 700 block of Kennedy St. NW…The raccoon was euthanized and then tested for rabies, a fatal disease that attacks the central nervous system…A boy told the officers that he saw a teen playing with the raccoon earlier…"
The first human death due to a rabid raccoon was in 2003 in nearby Northern Virginia, I might add.
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I live on Capital Hill – a couple of years ago we had a Mamma Racoon and her brood of three living on our roof.
Posted by: MM | February 5, 2009, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm
Maybe the media should just leave this alone…..
Posted by: samhiguchi | February 5, 2009, 12:38 pm 12:38 pm
Oh sure feed them the peanut butter…..our government has some very major issues along with Bill from Fox. What a bunch is ******* Obama should look outside of Washington and Politics if he wants good honest smart people running his cabinets.
Posted by: becky (the real one) | February 5, 2009, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm
These raccoons have masks just like bandits. There must be a joke in here somewhere with all the talk about ponzi scheme and Trillion dollar loans.
Posted by: pt | February 5, 2009, 12:58 pm 12:58 pm
“The first human death due to a rabid raccoon was in 2003 in nearby Northern Virginia, I might add.”
Gee, maybe The Puppet can come up with some National Health for raccoons — if not for the people — instead of poisoned peanut butter?
Maybe He’d better, since it seems more likely every day that people outside His administration and paid hangers-on — and the banks, of course — will soon be EATING any wild life they can find.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 5, 2009, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
I’m sure Sarah Palin and Ashley Judd can have at it over these furry little bandits!
Posted by: Lee | February 5, 2009, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
I lived in D.C. for 15 years, rabid raccoons have been a problem since the late 70s into the 80s. There was a death of a Marine who ate the meat of a rabid raccoon back then long before 2003. I lived near Rock Creek Park and the raccoons were every where.
Posted by: mdenise | February 5, 2009, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
Wildlife has no place to go anymore. We maintain over 250 acres just for wildlife. They need a place to at least rest and feel secure without having to dodge cars and humans.
Posted by: Clint | February 5, 2009, 1:33 pm 1:33 pm
Maybe the media should leave this alone is right. The aniamls have been there for years, so why now that we have a black president do we care that there are racoons at the white house. Sounds a bite racist to me. Why don’t we drop it now.
Posted by: stephenie johnson | February 5, 2009, 1:39 pm 1:39 pm
Unlike the hedge fund hogs, the raccoons are registered lobbyists scavenging for their piece of the bail out.
And why not? Tell me, before the election, did you know that bonus was two words?
Posted by: len | February 5, 2009, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
I wonder if the white house would let me set some of raccoon traps there.
Posted by: Dan | February 5, 2009, 1:49 pm 1:49 pm
I fail to see the reason for the National Park Service trying to remove these raccoons. Other than the White House staff needing to secure the garbage cans, who cares? I live in a suburban area full of raccoons, foxes, coyotes, etc. Other than garbage can issues, they leave the people alone and the people leave them alone. Yes, the occasional slow fat cat gets eaten by the foxes or coyotes, but the indigenous critters are just trying to get by.
Posted by: Tyrone | February 5, 2009, 1:59 pm 1:59 pm
Marshmallows are the best bait. Catches them everytime.
Posted by: Vince C | February 5, 2009, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm
Since the racoons are sharing use of government property, they have to accept an annual cap of 500,000 nuts per year.
Posted by: Chris | February 5, 2009, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
But they didn’t register as lobbyists so they’re eligible for government jobs.
Posted by: Ted | February 5, 2009, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
They should fit in well with all the other rodents/politicians in DC.
Posted by: BO=BS | February 5, 2009, 2:11 pm 2:11 pm
Maybe Sarah Palin will come back to the lower 48 with her hunting rifle to assist. Given her rabid ambition, I’m surprised she hasn’t offered.
Posted by: kathy | February 5, 2009, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
Nothing to see here…move along. Let’s leave this one alone. Too much race related history. (southern people know.)
Posted by: TxJedi | February 5, 2009, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
Thems some good eatin !
Posted by: mark boatright | February 5, 2009, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm
Heard the obabas were in town giving handouts and came for theirs.
Posted by: Mildred | February 5, 2009, 2:46 pm 2:46 pm
Thems some good eatin !
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
But not as good as squirrel stew or frog legs.
Posted by: kathy | February 5, 2009, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
Heard the obabas were in town giving handouts and came for theirs.
Posted by: Mildred | Feb 5, 2009 2:46:25 PM
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So apropo!!!
Posted by: Martin | February 5, 2009, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
Let’s add $650M to the stimulus bill to get the raccoons out of the Whitehouse.
Posted by: jack | February 5, 2009, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
Great story, great comments. looooool
Posted by: Bridget | February 5, 2009, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
A “gaze” of raccoons. Thanks for the addition to my vocabulary.
Posted by: Bridget | February 5, 2009, 3:04 pm 3:04 pm
Who gives a crap! Are you this hard up for news?
Posted by: Anonymous | February 5, 2009, 3:07 pm 3:07 pm
. .. .Are you this hard up for news?
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No one should be in the midst of the stimulus battle. I wonder why there’s no news coverage with ABC on the stimulus article Obama wrote for the Washington Post. It’s nice to have a president who can speak and write intelligently.
Posted by: kathy | February 5, 2009, 3:16 pm 3:16 pm
I thought the Obamas were supposed to be environmentalists? What is wrong with having some raccoons on White House property? Big deal. They are animals and they lived in the area long before the Obamas or their doe-eyed cadres of communistic activists. Let the raccoons stay. If they get into the house or do damage with it then deal with them, but if they are just living in the yard- big deal!
Posted by: Ed | February 5, 2009, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm
“These raccoons have masks just like bandits. There must be a joke in here somewhere with all the talk about ponzi scheme and Trillion dollar loans.”
Maybe they are bankers seeking bailout money? Or wall street ty”coons”.
Posted by: KR | February 5, 2009, 3:26 pm 3:26 pm
LOL…
Charitable contributions are way down, so the animals are are coming forth to ask for their bailout!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 5, 2009, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
wow, was this posted as a joke?
Posted by: chris | February 5, 2009, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm
hmmm… “*****” at the white house. be ready for al sharpton to try to extort you ABC/Disney.
Posted by: Chr | February 5, 2009, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
dc is horrific with raccoons. it’s rock creek park!
Posted by: damitajo1 | February 5, 2009, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
They’re really cute until you get up close and personal.
Posted by: bob | February 5, 2009, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
This reminds me of Jimmy Carter and The Killer Rabbit!
http://www.narsil.org/politics/carter/killer_rabbit.html
Posted by: BillHoo | February 5, 2009, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
traps – rocky won’t like that
Posted by: lil | February 5, 2009, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm
wow, Jake – seems like you scavaged for every pawsible titbit for us on that story. I’m especially impressed by the ‘gaze’ …..nice job. May not seem like the most important news of the day but you sparkle on the sidebars nonetheless :-)
Posted by: Dathy | February 5, 2009, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
traps – rocky won’t like that
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Neither will the lady from Alaska who likes to go after Bullwinkles. Palin really wants her predatory skills to shine on the White House.
Posted by: kathy | February 5, 2009, 5:46 pm 5:46 pm
Well, at least THESE bandits wear masks for identification, and only steal food. And they surely cannot be any more rabid than Cheney and his friends!
Posted by: Jordan | February 5, 2009, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
hmmm,,,they are cute bandits though!
Posted by: catleya | February 5, 2009, 7:41 pm 7:41 pm
This is a dumb story about even dumber people. As long as garbage bins are secure, and visitors and workers are advised to not feed them, what’s the problem with a few raccoons living on the White House’s 18 acres, other than an increased potential for roadkill if drivers and / or critters are inattentive?
The rationale you offer for ridding the property of these animals – rabies – is ludicrous on its face. Bats and rodents are much likely to be carriers of that disease than raccoons. Shall we purge the human-inhabited areas of D.C. of their presence, too?
Would authorities overreact in a similar manner if a colony of feral cats set up shop on White House grounds? And what would their response be to a flock of crows or pigeons roosting in the trees outside the Oval Office?
And while we’re at it, how about doing something about that large herd of carnivorous dimbulbs that infests the White House press room, with all their annoying clucking, cackling and caterwauling?
Posted by: Donald from Hawaii | February 5, 2009, 8:53 pm 8:53 pm
We’ve had nests of raccoons outside our backdoor for a couple of years now – they crawl down every night at dawn – and there’s never been a problem.
I’m sure if they do cause problems the Secret Service will blast ‘em before they ever get close to the president. Glad he’s safe…
Posted by: Ken | February 5, 2009, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm
Must be a slow news day.
Posted by: kim walker | February 6, 2009, 8:10 am 8:10 am
Let the Raccoons stay clean out everyone else, Less Government more RACCOONS!
Posted by: Truth | February 6, 2009, 10:00 am 10:00 am
I’m certain they’ve been sited in the past, interesting that NOW they are making news. Give me a break and say what’s really on your freakin’ tongues. Stop being cowards!!
Posted by: dabullock | February 6, 2009, 10:56 am 10:56 am
This is why Palin should be in the WH. No needs for fancy traps when theres a helicopter and plenty of automatic weapons around.
Posted by: KushPhog | February 6, 2009, 11:55 am 11:55 am
Forget a dog. I say adopt them as the new Whitehouse pets!!!! LOL
Posted by: Bandit | February 6, 2009, 9:16 pm 9:16 pm
President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, had a pet raccoon during their time in the White House. The raccoon’s name was Rebecca. If you’re interested, go to Google and do a search… there are a couple of pics available.
Raccoons get a great deal of undeserved bad press. They can be a nuisance as far as turning over trash cans and making themselves at home in unsecured attics, but they are not vicious animals. Just because a raccoon is out and about during the day does not mean it is rabid. It is most likely a nursing mother who is desperate for food. Keep garbage, pet food and the like secured and the raccoons will move on.
The predominant carrier species of the rabies virus varies by geographical region. While raccoons are overall the most common carrier of rabies in the U.S., some areas have no recorded instances of it in their raccoon population. Out of the 37 laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies in human beings who developed the disease in the United States, 1990-2001, 8 were from dog rabies virus, 28 were from bat rabies, and only one was attributed to the raccoon rabies virus. (http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/epidemiology.html)
When it comes to raccoons, just use common sense and admire them from a safe distance. They are truly amazing creatures. Here’s hoping the best for the ones at the White House.
Posted by: cooncerned citizen | February 6, 2009, 10:20 pm 10:20 pm
Park Service guys are always after raccoons, when they should be after people who ruin our parks by littering. As a specialist in raccoons, I can attest that they would never harm anyone in the area, but would stay away from people. However, the poison about rabid raccoons has been spread by thousands of people who have no idea about raccoons in the wild. The large one and smaller ones are mother and babies. Babies stay with the mother for months after weining and females will stay with the mother for over a year, helping with other litters and learning how to be mothers. Next time, Park Serivce People, as a wildlife rehabber. We may not have the expensive education, but we sure know a lot more about wildlife than any of you!
Posted by: Chris Scott | February 7, 2009, 4:54 pm 4:54 pm
Give those poor guys a break! They’re just trying to make a living like the rest of us.
Posted by: Robert | February 7, 2009, 9:34 pm 9:34 pm
I fail to see the significance of this article! Haven’t there been racoons there all along and not made the news? Why is it that when the Obamas move in, it becomes a topic for discussion. We all know who were referred to as racoons in the past, so to try and slip this story under the radar is just plain ignorant of you. The man won fair and square, so stop with the idiotic and slick terms to try and cover your ignorance. The White House does not belong to anyone- it’s belongs to everyone.
Posted by: Hickory | February 20, 2009, 9:19 am 9:19 am