Raccoon rides the Toronto subway

February 2, 2016 • 3:15 pm

Some animal fun for the afternoon from Blog TO: a raccoon rides the Toronto subway, and just this morning!

Toronto’s unofficial mascot was spotted on the TTC earlier today, to the surprise, amusement and chagrin of morning commuters. The raccoon was seen lurking around the subway platform sniffing at people’s feet before boarding the train at Spadina station.

As reported by CP24, trains were briefly delayed before our furry bandit-eyed friend disappeared into the subway tunnel. It’s unclear how the raccoon got into the station.

I hope it’s okay in the tunnel. Raccoons need to be aboveground! Remember that Toronto loves its raccoons (see also here).

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Is it looking for poutine?

h/t: James

21 thoughts on “Raccoon rides the Toronto subway”

  1. I lived in Toronto up until about 2 years ago, and the local raccoons are very bold and friendly. I never fed any from my hands due to not wanting roundworms, however I have seen several people do so, some let you pet them.

    Once my wife and I walked from our apartment just south of Bloor and Ossington, a raccoon exited my neighbors yard walked beside us like a pet dog down to College then wandered into an alleyway and went about it’s business, probably raiding “raccoon proof” trashcans.

    1. Yeah, my rabies phobia ignites seeing those critters walking around (even though practically speaking the chances are exceedingly low).

      Here in Toronto Racoons are an inconvenient fact of life. There’s that “thunk” you hear late at night of your garbage/recycling bin being pushed over and then it’s either “do I get up and shoo it away, or just hope I don’t have to clean up all that spilled crap in the morning.”

      And they are utterly fearless. You can stand right in front of them shouting, waving, brandishing weapons, you name it. But if they haven’t yet got what they came for, they won’t budge.

  5. In Southern California, they use storm drains (for travelling?); it’s not unusual to see 3 or so popping in or out of a curbside drain.

    1. I like the very straightforward title:
      Raccoon climbs 213 metres up Toronto condo tower
      Animal climbed down shortly after

  7. Here in London, UK, I have several times travelled with pigeons on the Underground. They hop on at one station and hop off at the next. Foraging for tit-bits.
    There are already reports of the ubiquitous, and insouciant, London fox doing the same. (See YouTube.)

  9. It’s unclear how the raccoon got into the station.Not being a Boreal Mexican, I’m not familiar with the ecology of raccoons, but in build and movement (and omnivory), they seem to fit a “badger” eco-niche. From which a tunnelling mode of life isn’t a long stretch. So, digging their way into an existing tunnel seems pretty much spot on.
    Question for the Torrents (or whatever inhabitants of Toronto call themselves) : were any of your underground lines built by “cut’n’cover”, with a brick lining to the chambers? A badger-a-like working their way through a brick wall would be no surprise.

    1. I forgot the [blockquote]s around the “It’s unclear how the raccoon got into the station.”

  10. Toronto has raccoons and Vancouver has seagulls, the world of urban wildlife….the prairies are fenced so no buffalo, excuse me – they are mostly beef-alo now, roam

  12. There are quite a number of pigeons in London that have taken to riding the underground. Mainly the circle line which is a “cut and cover” line and has some stations open to the air.

    They’ll wait on the platform, jump on a train and stand by the doors – unphased by the warning sounds. Then hop off after a stop or two completely unconcerned by the journey.

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