![[Watch] Dozens of wild raccoons swarm Washington woman's driveway](https://atlaswebrise.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/raccoon-in-driveway-near-car-1024x682.jpg)
The phenomenon doesn’t seem to make much sense…until you hear what she admits to doing for 30-some-odd years.
This fall, a Kitsap County, Washington woman said she suddenly found herself surrounded by nearly 100 wild raccoons. The wild animals gathered on her rural property in broad daylight, excitedly milling around her driveway and house. They seemed to be waiting for their next meal. She ultimately called 911 when the animals’ presence left her feeling trapped and unable to reach her car, which was parked outside.
The unsettling scene unfolded in early October. The woman told deputies that raccoons had been frequent visitors to her wooded backyard for decades. Over the past 38 years, she fed a certain few critters regularly.
However, she shared that the number had grown “significantly” over the last six weeks, and new aggressive behavior surfaced among recent arrivals.
She described being “rushed” by the raccoons while attempting to access her car.
“She said the normal raccoons are nice, but the new ones scare her,” explained Kevin McCarty, a spokesperson for the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office. The Daily Jeff said that deputies arrived shortly after 1 p.m. and found the raccoons – dozens of them – calm, allowing the woman to safely leave in her vehicle.
The homeowner said the animals often scratched at her home’s walls and windows at all hours until they were fed. To appease them and avoid confrontation, she admitted to tossing food when they blocked her path. Despite her years of coexistence with the animals, this overwhelming surge was unprecedented…and alarming.
Another source shared that the woman had called critter control places before contacting police. Some quotes were upwards of $500 per individual raccoon removal.
The sheriff’s office notified state wildlife officials. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife directed the woman to their Wildlife Control Operators program, a service that connects residents with certified private trappers. These operators are tasked with either releasing animals on-site or humanely euthanizing them, as required by state law.
Wildlife experts urged caution against feeding wild animals
“When animals congregate around an unnatural food source, it can spread disease, diminish their natural wariness of humans, and attract predators,” said department spokesperson Bridget Mire.
