Raccoons concern of University Pines residents

Raccoons nocturnally roam the University campus, raising concerns for trash disposal at University Pines Apartments.

Residents consistently report seeing raccoons enter and exit the dumpsters in the complex.

Chaffe Riley, a junior history major, said sightings of the animals are nearly a nightly occurrence.

"A few nights ago, I was on the way home from dinner with some friends and I saw two or three raccoons by the dumpster," Riley said. "They looked up at us and just kept eating. It happens all the time."

Riley said University Pines staff instructed residents to place garbage bags in the dumpster, rather than leave them outside doorways.

Daniel Ruiz, a junior business management major, said the way garbage is contained does not stop the raccoons' pursuit of food.

"At night you can see 15 or so of them. Even if the dumpster is closed, they'll find a way in and tear trash bags apart," Ruiz said.

A patch of dirt behind a dumpster shows where an animal trap had been placed between buildings 2 and 6. Office staff at University Pines declined to comment on the issue.

University Pines isn't the only place on campus inhabited by raccoons.

Bethany Phillips, a junior history major who works at Muntz Library, said she often sees many of them around Harvey Lake during her nightly walk back to her Ornelas Hall residence.

Mike Medders, University Chief of Police, said wildlife problems on campus are usually forwarded to animal control.

"When we receive a call, once the problem is verified, we typically call animal control to come pick up the animal," Medders said.

Shawn Markmann, Director of Tyler Animal Control, said he responded to incidents at the University frequently in recent years.

"The landscape is prime for wildlife out there," Markmann said. "We've caught just about anything you could imagine and then some.  Everything from skunks to bats, even a goose with a urinary tract infection."

Ruiz said although raccoons sometimes cause problems for University Pines residents, he doesn't think they will go away anytime soon.

"I've been a resident for two and a half years and there have been raccoons running around since the night I moved in," he said. "We live right next to the woods, and as long as there's a steady food supply, they'll keep coming back for more."

This persistence makes the raccoon presence a difficult issue to resolve. Markmann said there are not any outright solutions available, but offered advice for residents to limit destruction and big messes.

"If you have your own pets, don't leave food bowls outdoors," he said. "If you grill on your patio, make sure and clean up everything off the ground when you're done. If it even smells like food, the raccoons are going to come check it out."