Studying in Classroom When a 'Thud' from Ceiling... Startled by an American Raccoon

US McCallum High School Struggles with Raccoons Roaming on Campus

A high school in the United States is struggling with raccoons found all over the campus.

On the 10th (local time), British Daily Star and others reported that students at McCallum High School in Austin, Texas, have been experiencing various damages caused by raccoons that have inhabited the school grounds for decades.

[Image source=Pixabay]

According to reports, raccoons sometimes hide in the hallways and have suddenly fallen through classroom ceilings, startling students. Recently, a raccoon carcass was even found inside a school wall. It was also reported that the odor from the decomposing carcass was particularly strong.

Students have started filming the raccoons roaming around the campus and sharing the videos online. Noah Brown, a current student involved in the school newspaper, said, "I was able to find articles discussing this issue from the 1990s, early 2000s, and even the 2010s." He explained that although raccoons have been a problem in the past, the number of incidents has increased recently due to a rise in the raccoon population.

Another student, Morgan Ai, said, "I captured and released raccoons six times over three days," adding, "A police officer secured the door, which allowed us to release one raccoon outside the building." Morgan continued, "The raccoons were scary and running around," and expressed concern, "I was worried that a raccoon with rabies might bite someone."

The Austin Independent School District issued a statement saying, "We understand that raccoons roaming the campus may cause concern among parents," and "We are taking this issue seriously." They added, "We are taking measures to resolve the problem in a humane and effective manner."

The district also stated, "We have contacted a professional wildlife removal company, and they are preventing raccoons from entering the buildings," and "We will continue to monitor the situation to safely remove the raccoons and ensure the problem is completely resolved."