RACCOON RESCUE: A construction crew working just off Willingdon Avenue found a baby raccoon, one week old with its eyes still closed, lying curled up in the midst of their construction site.
The mother was probably moving the nest to a safer spot as construction progressed and dropped one baby in her rush.
Powell River Orphaned Wildlife Society (PROWLS) president Merrilee Prior phoned Critter Care Wildlife Society, a rescue centre in Langley that cares for injured native mammals, for advice. They recommended putting the infant kit back overnight so the mother could rescue it.
However, when construction workers arrived early the next day, keen to see what had happened, the kit was still there.
PROWLS was called again and Merrilee quickly caged and sent the young raccoon on the next Pacific Coastal Airlines flight to Vancouver. It was picked up by a volunteer and taken to Critter Care.
Raccoons breed from January to June and usually give birth to two to three kits, which are ready to leave the nest by seven weeks of age.
Their den sites can be found in hollow trees as well as buildings.
