2023-07-06 19:01:00
“The cute appearance” of the raccoons “widely conveyed by the media” made him “sympathetic to the population”, complicating “the taking of measures aimed at the destruction of individuals by the public authorities”, observes the cabinet. Although the animal is one of the invasive species of concern within the EU, “no European country currently has an ambitious management strategy for this species, despite the alarm messages from people on the field, including some agents of the Walloon Nature and Forest department”.
Why Wallonia will no longer get rid of the raccoon
The expansion in Europe of this carnivore native to North America has accelerated since the 2010s in Belgium, with today “particularly high observation densities in the south of Wallonia”, according to the Tellier firm. The rough estimate of the Public Service of Wallonia (SPW) relates to 60 to 70,000 raccoons. They are found in particular in the Ardennes massif and in Gaume, where they cause significant nuisance around houses and prey on ponds, chicken coops and nesting boxes. They thus constitute a real threat to endangered species such as the bank swallow. The animal is also a vector of disease.
“Since eradication is no longer a realistic objective, it is necessary to regulate the species in order to limit its damage”, advances the Tellier cabinet.
Awareness actions are planned so that residents avoid attracting raccoons near homes. But the Walloon minister also asked her services to produce a detailed control plan and to identify priority areas for intervention, taking into account the presence of endangered species. This plan could be inspired by the one put in place by zones to fight against African swine fever. Systems are also being studied to protect sensitive species from raccoon damage.
The SPW portal on biodiversity in Wallonia recalls that the basic principle for protecting against raccoon nuisance is “not to familiarize it or feed it”. In addition, nesting boxes and feeders can be secured to prevent the raccoon from climbing and thus putting the chicks out of reach. In order to protect bird colonies in wetlands, it is also possible to install electric fences.
In addition, the Walloon government’s decree on invasive alien species will allow “operators to intervene in private homes in the event of a nuisance”, says the firm. A consultation of the Walloon Animal Welfare Council has been requested in this regard.
To avoid being faced with an overpopulation, “more or less muscular” regulation scenarios will be proposed in the coming months, specifies Etienne Branquart, member of the SPW unit specializing in invasive species. “If you want to have a significant impact, you have to act on a large area and take a lot of animals,” he concludes.
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