Fish Ponds & Raccoon Problems

Backyard fish ponds with koi or other species of fish provide an easy place for raccoons to forage for food at your expense. Besides the direct loss of fish, the animals can cause damage to the liner of the pond and make a general mess of things.

Exclusion

• One option is to erect fencing to prevent the animals from being able to get to the pond. This can be difficult and expensive, and it's hard to build an exclusion that doesn't affect the aesthetics of the pond and surrounding area. Once raccoons have gotten accustomed to raiding your pond, exclusion barriers are doubly hard to maintain.

Remove the Offenders

• Capturing and removing the offenders is the best option. Raccoons are easily trapped using a variety of traps and methods. Live traps are very easy, humane and within the capability of most homeowners. You can hire animal control businesses to safely trap, remove and dispose of marauding raccoons properly for a fee.

Legal Considerations

• Raccoons are regulated by state wildlife agencies, which in most cases allow trapping of nuisance raccoons that are causing problems to backyard fish ponds, either by homeowners or by licensed animal control agents. Most states have regulations to ensure humane treatment of captured raccoons and to protect surrounding property and owners. Check with a local conservation officer before proceeding on your own.