Patterns of Illicit Entry: Raccoon Encounters in People's Homes in Toronto

The raccoon has been a focus of attention in the City of Toronto. Raccoons feed from Toronto's green bins and make their dens in the attics of Toronto residents. This study seeks to understand how raccoons use residential space across the city, and into which neighbourhoods they prefer to make their abode. Treated as eternal interlopers, raccoons repurpose urban spaces for their own use. Using data from AAA Gates Wildlife on raccoon entries into homes in the City of Toronto, maps of the spatial pattern of the entries were generated. Toronto neighbourhoods were used as the spatial polygon layer to create a regression model of raccoon density (per ha) explained by elevation, building density, and whether or not the neighbourhood is on the subway line.