A rare white baby raccoon has been discovered during a wildlife removal.
The unusually coloured raccoon was discovered alongside its littermates beneath a home’s front porch. At first glance, the baby appeared almost entirely white, making it stand out dramatically from the rest of the family.
Technicians with Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control recently encountered a rare leucistic baby raccoon during a wildlife removal in Aurora, Ontario.
While often confused with albinism, leucism is a different genetic condition that causes a partial loss of pigmentation in an animal’s fur, feathers, or skin. Unlike albino animals, which completely lack melanin and typically have pink or red eyes, leucistic animals retain their normal eye colour and some natural pigmentation. The condition is extremely rare in wild raccoon populations, making sightings uncommon even for experienced wildlife professionals.
The raccoon family had established a den between the trusses beneath the home’s front balcony. To safely remove the babies, technicians first encouraged the mother raccoon to leave the area temporarily. Once she had moved out of the den space, technicians carefully accessed the nest from above and below the porch structure.
Wildlife Technician Ringo Kong loosened and removed several deck boards from the porch floor while another technician worked from a ladder underneath, gently guiding the babies up through the opening. Despite the tight and awkward workspace, the entire litter, including the leucistic baby, was safely removed without injury.
The babies were placed together in a secure reunion box nearby, allowing the mother raccoon to return and relocate her family to one of her alternate den sites after the exclusion work was completed.
“Finding a leucistic raccoon is something most wildlife technicians will never experience,” said Kong, Wildlife Technician with Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. “The white fur immediately caught our attention, but our priority remained ensuring the entire family could be safely reunited so the mother could continue caring for her young.”
While rare wildlife encounters like this capture attention, they also highlight the importance of having trained professionals handle wildlife conflicts safely and humanely. Founded in 1989, Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control has been helping homeowners across Canada and the United States solve wildlife conflicts for more than 35 years.
As wildlife baby season continues across Ontario, homeowners who notice wildlife activity around their roof, porch, deck, or attic are encouraged to address the issue quickly before small problems become larger infestations. Skedaddle’s trained technicians can safely remove wildlife and prevent future entry without harming wildlife.
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