Opportunistic omnivore annoying

RENO -- At first, wildlife officials reported increased activity by black bears and coyotes around Reno. Now, they report more homeowners are encountering another native species: raccoons.

With as many as 3,500 raccoons around Reno, the U.S. Agriculture Department's Wildlife Services division is being flooded by calls about the opportunistic omnivore. Raccoons often live in storm drains or irrigation ditches, emerging at night to raid yards and homes, officials said.

"You have no idea. We get calls on raccoons every day," Jack Spencer, supervisory wildlife biologist for the federal agency, told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Like bears and coyotes, raccoons are taking advantage of a growing area that offers a year-round source of food and water. That allows a far greater number of the animals to survive than they would in nature, Spencer said.

Jennifer Skelton of Sparks said she recently found a raccoon on top of her dryer, eating dog food. The animal entered her home through an unlocked doggie door.

She chased the raccoon away, but she and her son, David Powell, since have set up a trap borrowed from Wildlife Services. Raccoons earlier trashed her garden and ate her chickens.

"We're trying to get rid of them," Powell said. "They're just getting more and more aggressive. To have them come in the house like that is pretty amazing."

Spencer said raccoons can cause a lot of damage. Some have entered vacant homes, chewing wires and accidentally turning on water faucets.

A couple of years ago, raccoons made a nest on a couch in an empty house at Lake Tahoe and caused $70,000 in damage, he said. The animals also hang out in attics and under porches.

Wildlife officials urge residents to keep pet food inside and to lock doggie doors at night.

"Raccoons are nice animals to enjoy," Spencer said. "They're just kind of hard to enjoy when they're in your home."