Jojo, the orphaned raccoon, retires with caregiver.
Jojo an orphaned raccoon grew up near Merilan’s house as a tame, curious animal.
Submitted photo
Merilan lives just outside Gravenhurst on a little travelled road, which winds along the side of a lake to a sheltered bay. Lots of trees and wild berries and shore for frogs; for more than 30 years it has also been a very excellent place for wildlife.
And so, for many of those years, Merilan found herself with litters of orphaned raccoons and knew all the care it takes – feed them every three hours night and day – until they are old enough to go free. And naturally, that’s how I came to know Merilan – it seems we’re in the same business. So much so, that a couple of times she even raised beaver kits.
Thirteen years ago she was busy with four tiny orphans and then the phone ran. A mother raccoon had been killed out on the highway and one of her kits had survived. Of course Merilan went and rescued it, because one never knows the background of any such arrivals, she kept the new baby separate from the others.
Just perhaps that was when Jojo decided she was a very special coon. To this day she sincerely believes she is and she’s right.
When the raccoons were old enough, Merilan took them to a special place in the woods far away from the dangers of roads and humans and set them free – all five of them.
The four of them decided they liked to be wild. Merilan spent four days tenting in the bush, being sure as she could be of their adaptation and the four raccoons drifted away and assumed their natural lives. Jojo decided she liked to hunt a little, but curled up with Merilan in the tent at night.
Merilan was quite sure that Jojo was not quite ready, so back she came to the house on the lake. Here, Jojo was given her freedom, which she thoroughly enjoyed, as long as she could show up at the house every so often and be fed a little kibble and a little of this and that. However, she hunted, and she fished – so she vanished for a while and then came back.
Over the years Jojo had several litters of kits and those she raised wild. She would bring them home for Merilan to see. She would allow Merilan to rub her between the ears or her chin – never any place else and never to be picked up. The kits became completely wild raccoons and took up their own lives in the bush.
As she grew older, Jojo came in the spring without kids, but she has come. Now she has taken up residence under one of the out-buildings.
She wants to be fed regularly. She will now allow Merilan to rub her belly. She moves more slowly, evidently not wandering too far away.
She has grown old – 13 years old - and she has chosen her retirement home and we are all quite delighted.
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(Audrey Tournay is the executive director of Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary and a regular contributor to the Beacon Star.)