Raccoon Removal in Marine Park, Canarsie, and Brooklyn's South Shore
Raccoons are a growing problem in Marine Park, Canarsie, and Brooklyn's south shore neighborhoods. Brooklyn NYC Pest Control provides humane removal and permanent exclusion services.
Raccoon Problems in Marine Park, Canarsie, and Brooklyn's South Shore
Brooklyn's south shore neighborhoods — Marine Park, Canarsie, Georgetown, and the communities bordering Jamaica Bay — occupy a unique position in New York City's urban ecology. Where most of Brooklyn is a continuous expanse of dense residential and commercial development, these neighborhoods border one of the largest remaining natural areas within the city limits: the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and the associated salt marshes, wetlands, and open spaces that stretch from Marine Park south to the Rockaways. This proximity to significant natural habitat means that residents of these neighborhoods share their environment with a much larger and more diverse urban wildlife community than is typical for Brooklyn — and raccoons (Procyon lotor) are at the center of that community.
At Brooklyn NYC Pest Control, we provide professional wildlife management services for homeowners and property managers in Marine Park, Canarsie, and surrounding south shore neighborhoods, with a focus on the humane, permanent resolution of raccoon conflicts that respects both property owners and the animals involved.
The Raccoon Population of Brooklyn's South Shore
The raccoon populations living in and around Marine Park and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge are among the most robust in Brooklyn. These animals benefit from a combination of natural habitat for denning and cover, abundant food sources from both natural environments and residential areas, and relatively low levels of predator pressure compared to rural environments.
Marine Park — at 798 acres, New York City's largest park — provides extensive denning habitat in its woodland areas, salt marsh buffer zones, and the landscape along Gerritsen Creek. Raccoons established in the park range into the surrounding residential neighborhoods of Marine Park, Canarsie, and Georgetown during nighttime foraging, using the predictable food sources provided by residential garbage, compost bins, and fruit-bearing garden plants.
Several factors specific to south shore neighborhoods drive the intensity of raccoon-human conflict:
One- and two-family home dominance: Marine Park and Canarsie are primarily neighborhoods of detached and semi-detached one- and two-family homes with yards, driveways, sheds, and detached garages — all of which provide denning opportunities and foraging habitat that raccoons readily exploit. Unlike apartment buildings where access to upper floors limits wildlife intrusion, single-family homes with attic access provide ideal denning sites.
Mature tree canopy: The mature trees throughout these neighborhoods provide raccoon travel highways that span entire blocks. A raccoon can travel from Marine Park's woodland edge through a dozen residential yards without touching the ground, using tree branches and fence lines to move toward food sources or denning sites.
Seasonal wildlife movement: Raccoon activity intensifies during two predictable periods: late winter and early spring, when pregnant females seek secure denning sites for raising litters, and fall, when raccoons dramatically increase food consumption in preparation for winter. These are the periods when attic intrusions and property damage are most commonly reported.
Common Raccoon Problems in South Shore Neighborhoods
Attic denning: This is the most significant and potentially expensive raccoon problem reported by Marine Park and Canarsie homeowners. A female raccoon seeking a denning site for raising a litter will exploit any weakness in a home's roofline — deteriorated soffit boards, damaged roof vents, rotted fascia, or gaps at the eave line where roofing materials have pulled back over decades. Once inside, she establishes a den and typically gives birth to three to five kits in late March or April. Raccoon droppings in attic spaces can harbor Baylisascaris procyonis, a roundworm parasite that poses a genuine health risk, and urine accumulation can cause structural damage to insulation and framing.
Chimney denning: Uncapped or deteriorated chimney flues are preferred denning sites for raccoons, particularly during the spring denning season. A mother raccoon in a chimney can be extremely difficult to dislodge, and her kits — which are immobile for the first several weeks of life — cannot be removed without special equipment and technique.
Garden and yard damage: Raccoons are powerful diggers that roll back turf and sod in search of soil-dwelling grubs, earthworms, and other food. They raid vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and berry bushes, returning repeatedly to reliable food sources. Raccoons have dexterous forepaws that allow them to open latches, remove lids from containers, and access food sources that most wildlife cannot reach.
Garbage disruption: Raccoons are the primary perpetrators of overturned and raided garbage cans in south shore neighborhoods. They are capable of removing even tightly fitted lids, bending garbage can rims, and tearing through plastic bags. For households near Marine Park, nightly garbage raids can become a persistent nuisance.
Deck and crawl space denning: The spaces under decks, porches, sheds, and elevated structures provide ground-level denning habitat that raccoons frequently use, particularly late in pregnancy when elevated access is more difficult.
Our Humane Wildlife Management Approach
Brooklyn NYC Pest Control operates in full compliance with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulations governing the trapping and handling of wildlife. Our approach prioritizes lasting resolution through exclusion, with humane trapping used where necessary to address active intrusions.
Property inspection: We conduct a thorough inspection of your home and property, identifying all existing and potential entry points, assessing the extent and nature of wildlife activity, and determining whether young animals are present — a critical consideration in spring denning situations.
Exclusion as the primary solution: The most important component of effective, long-term wildlife management is sealing entry points so that raccoons — and other wildlife — cannot gain access to your home in the future. We install heavy-gauge galvanized hardware cloth, metal flashing, and commercial-grade vent covers using fasteners and framing techniques designed to resist the physical strength of raccoons. Exclusion work is performed after confirming that all animals have vacated the structure.
Humane trapping when required: For active intrusions where animals must be removed from a structure, we deploy humane live traps and monitor them regularly. All captured animals are handled in compliance with DEC regulations.
Chimney cap installation: One of the most cost-effective wildlife prevention measures available to Marine Park and Canarsie homeowners is the installation of a properly sized, wildlife-resistant chimney cap. We provide and install commercial-grade caps that prevent raccoons, squirrels, and birds from accessing chimney flues while allowing normal chimney function.
If you're dealing with raccoon problems at your Marine Park or Canarsie home, call Brooklyn NYC Pest Control at (646) 862-7935. We provide prompt, professional wildlife management services throughout Brooklyn's south shore neighborhoods.