A terrifying posse of rabid raccoons is invading the outer boroughs of New York Metropolis at a breakneck tempo, with 20 whole circumstances already logged throughout Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island — a tempo 57% quicker than final yr, troubling metropolis information present.
By Aug. 20, the Massive Apple recorded 5 circumstances in Brooklyn, six in Queens and a whopping 9 in Staten Island — matching the whole for all of 2025, the information present.
Since 2022, Staten Island has recorded 26 confirmed rabies circumstances — the second-highest whole within the metropolis behind Queens, which has reported 39, based on information from the NYC Well being Division. Within the final 5 years, Bronx has documented 17 circumstances, whereas Brooklyn has reported seven.
Regardless of Staten Island’s regular caseload, the borough was excluded from a latest city-led oral rabies vaccination effort concentrating on wildlife, distributing fish-scented bait packets containing rabies vaccine in choose parks and inexperienced areas throughout Brooklyn and Queens.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella mentioned his borough’s exclusion is “taking part in with individuals’s properly being,” reported SIlive.com. The Put up has reached out to Fossella for remark.
Different residents commented that the critters are “consistently in my yard,” and “there are such a lot of homes going up, they’ve nowhere to go.”
In Manhattan — which has no reported circumstances of rabies in 2026 and one case from a bat in 2025 — a household of raccoons dwelling in Central Park has develop into an unlikely vacationer attraction, drawing crowds who movie, feed and even attempt to contact the furry creatures.
“How cute!” oozes a touch upon one such video, whereas one other says, “That tree condominium might be costing them $5,000 a month contemplating the situation.”
Bronx retiree Israel Ortiz, 83, has been feeding raccoons from the identical bench close to the American Museum of Pure Historical past for practically 20 years.
“I’m right here to care for them,” Ortiz, who brings treats they take from his outstretched hand, advised The Put up. “If that they had rabies, the Park Conservancy would care for it. They don’t have rabies.”
NYC Parks particularly warns New Yorkers to not feed raccoons and to hold their distance as a result of the animals can carry ailments transmissible to individuals and pets, together with rabies, distemper, bacterial infections, raccoon roundworm and parasites.
If a raccoon approaches, officers advocate “hazing” it by making loud noises, holding your arms excessive and stomping your toes. Animals that seem dizzy or stumbling needs to be reported to 911.
Anybody bitten or scratched ought to wash the wound and search medical consideration instantly. In keeping with the World Well being Group, rabies is 100% deadly with out remedy.
It begins with flu-like signs, adopted by speedy neurological decline that embody hallucinations, thrashing, paralysis and foaming on the mouth.
Westchester County resident Frank Maida, 81, is aware of firsthand what can occur when an encounter goes unsuitable. In 2019, Maida was bitten whereas gardening, and ended up receiving a collection of painful photographs after the animal was discovered to be rabid.
“I circled, and it was this raccoon,” he advised ABC 7. “He began going for me. I saved kicking him and he wouldn’t depart me alone.”
The raccoon, who had already bitten a neighborhood lady, then bit a person fixing his automotive in his driveway earlier than being killed with a shovel.
Six years later, seeing individuals cozying as much as Central Park raccoons leaves Maida surprised and appalled.
“Anybody who will get close to that household of raccoons in Central Park is downright loopy,” Maida advised The Put up. “They’re not cute pets. They’re wild animals they usually may kill you.”
Town Well being Division advised The Put up: “The NYC Well being Division doesn’t advise New Yorkers to method raccoons or any wild animal. Yearly, New York Metropolis sees a small variety of raccoons take a look at optimistic for rabies … Feeding raccoons can educate them to depend on and anticipate meals from people” and this feeding could make them “aggressive and generally harmful.”
“Observe and luxuriate in raccoons from a distance,” mentioned Gregg McQueen of the town’s Dept. of Parks & Recreation. “Don’t method raccoons or any wild animal, pet them or permit kids to method them.”
