To have a clear heart on the extent of the presence of the raccoon in the perimeter of the Virelles pond, a trapping campaign was organized from May 17 to June 17. In total, 21 traps, of the “-coverage” type, were scattered by a professional trap, on five stations and only on a third party from the site. Result: 50 rats washer were taken in a month! A figure qualified as “Very worrying”.
Lack of reactions
“By extrapolating and taking into account the body of water, we can estimate the population of raccoons in the reserve at a hundred individuals, Resumes Sébastien Pierret. It is present en masse here because the fauna and flora are particularly rich and it therefore has a multitude of prey. This species can also install its cottage for winter or put low in the multiple “lodges” (cavities in old trees) that the reserve has. A female is sexually mature in less than a year and gives life on average to four young people. And in the absence of predators with us, the Ratons proliferate quietly. “
A trend clearly reinforced by the insufficiency of rapid and effective measures, on the part of the Walloon authorities, against this species however classified, for years in Europe, in the black list of invasive exotic species.
In Belgium, the first observation dates back to… 1986, in Limburg. In the south of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse, the first data date from 2009 in Viroinval. As for Virelles, a first individual was found crushed in 2018. For the aquascope and the reserve, the damage is not only to be deplored in the local fauna, they are also sanitary (the raccoon is carrying various diseases) and economic. In fact, by its predation in the reserve, the raccoon undermines biodiversity and could ruin the important efforts and developments undertaken by the managers.
New traps?
Should we remember that the Aquascope of Virelles notably benefited from € 1.25 million of public subsidies to create new islets in order to attract more rare birds?
“In this context, we cannot stay with your arms crossed, underlines Sébastien. Following the Test of this spring trap testing campaign, I will transmit a report to our scientific committee which will make adequate decisions. But I think it will be necessary to carry out new trapping campaigns, mainly before the peak period of the Batracians and the nesting of birds. We also hope to have advice and support from the Walloon Region. I know that managers of reserves and natural parks are looking forward to seeing what we are going to set up against the raccoons. An extraordinary species in terms of adaptation and which may seem sympathetic, but which actually represents a great danger for our environment. “
