Raccoon.

Cass

Found in Clare last night after being hit by a car.

IF the number of reported sightings is even half then there are more out there.

wexie

Also known as trash panda's

wonder if there's much of a population out there.

Cass

wexie wrote: »

Also known as trash panda's

Yup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri2gS5bcHak

wonder if there's much of a population out there.

No idea, but unlike the Muntjac there is actually specimens found and pictures taken to prove they are out there.


What makes me cringe is they are classed as an invasive species and if found in the wild can be controlled by any means. Well if there so dangerous why allow the import of them.

I know some may be smuggled in, but come on, Ireland's law regarding animals, animal welfare and control of animals is a joke at best and when prosecuted laughable to the extent those found guilty face little more than a slap on the wrist.


Just look at the case in Limerick. F**KING disgrace, yet he only received a fine and not allowed to keep dogs. Guess what a--holes, he wasn't "keeping" the ones he had so stopping him from having more in the future won't be a punishment to him.

wexie

Cass wrote: »

What makes me cringe is they are classed as an invasive species and if found in the wild can be controlled by any means. Well if there so dangerous why allow the import of them.

Just had a look and apparently they are not only listed as an invasive species (which is fair enough of course) but as a high impact invasive species.

It's pretty disgraceful all in all indeed, have some people living near us who treat their animals very very badly, horses walking loose along the roads all the time, dogs starving and getting into the bins everywhere. Leaving their animals alone for days on end.

SPCA won't even go near them, neither will the guards

Uinseann_16

So when do we get to shoot them:D In all seriousness i doubt there a active population of feral Raccoon like Cass said its people importing them for pets.
Then they have no clue what to do with the once cute little raccoon starts eating your house and all its contents and so dump it so theres just stray ones littered through the country.:(

Grizzly 45

Beeen nigh on 10 years since the first muntjac sightings,shootings etc here.The way muntjac breed,we should have alot more of them showing up on the returns,but dont...Ergo,there isnt a natural pouplation out in the wild.Oddly,we have more wild boar cum feral pigs being sighted or shot than muntjac in the same timeframe.

cookimonster

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Beeen nigh on 10 years since the first muntjac sightings,shootings etc here.The way muntjac breed,we should have alot more of them showing up on the returns,but dont...Ergo,there isnt a natural pouplation out in the wild........

Re Muntjac...that's been the bases of my argument, we'd be up to our hips by now... or genuine postings of genuine sightings and / or shot animals...

A recent radio program claimed that there are more exotic animals/pets in Ireland then one would realise...

Birdnuts

cookimonster wrote: »

A recent radio program claimed that there are more exotic animals/pets in Ireland then one would realise...

In Dublin a significant population of Terrapins are living apparently happy lives in many of the canals and parkland lakes(seen them myself in the Phoenix Park). All originating from dumped pets They are very long lived though unlikely to breed in our climate.

cookimonster

Birdnuts wrote: »

In Dublin a significant population of Terrapins are living apparently happy lives in many of the canals.......

The gas thing is most people couldn't keep them alive as family pets for more than a few months.
We donated our childhood pair to the zoo after many, many years as pets. They grew from the size of the old 50 pence piece to the size of a breakfast plate and consumed more than one of our slower goldfish including the school one sent home with me for safe keeping over the summer holidays.
I was out walking in the local park a few years back and spotted a few on the pond islands and bails of straw but I think the last few hard winters have killed them off....

Britain has a issue with a certain parrot species, pet escapies, which have taken hold and pose a threat to local bird species..