Raccoon Overpopulation on Burnaby Campus

Burnaby Mountain is home to a diverse ecosystem. Raccoons, deer and bears are just some of the wild animals that live alongside the SFU community on Burnaby Mountain. Approaching or feeding wildlife puts people and animals at risk. It makes animals sick or aggressive, compromises their natural survival skills, and contributes to overpopulation.

Raccoon population numbers on Burnaby Mountain have risen higher than normal in recent years due to easy access to human food and the absence of natural predators. This creates health and safety risks for students, faculty, staff, community members and pets, and has negative impacts on the raccoons. 

Habituated raccoons are unsafe 

Overpopulation has created serious health and safety risks for the SFU community.

Key concerns include:

• Health risks: Raccoon droppings contain raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), a parasite that can cause severe and sometimes fatal illness in humans and pets. Raccoons can also carry rabies, which is a serious health risk to humans and pets.
• Safety risks: Campus Public Safety (CPS) received approximately 150 calls related to raccoons in 2023–2024, including reports of aggressive behaviour and close encounters involving pets. In 2025, CPS received one report of a raccoon attack on a person and a stalking incident involving a dog.
• Animal welfare: Feeding wildlife and leaving food waste unsecured encourages raccoons to rely on humans, increases aggression and contributes to overpopulation.
• Campus impacts: Safely removing raccoon droppings and repairing damage to campus spaces costs the university up to $100,000 each year.

Without proactive measures, raccoon numbers will continue to grow, increasing illness, conflict and environmental impacts for the campus community and causing greater suffering for wildlife.

Our shared responsibility to help keep wildlife wild

Everyone on campus plays a role in protecting raccoons and other wildlife:

• Do not feed wildlife. Feeding raccoons makes them sick, aggressive and dependent on humans.
• Secure food waste. Dispose of garbage properly and ensure bins and dumpsters are closed.
• Do not approach wildlife. Keep your distance and never attempt to interact with raccoons or other animals.
• Report concerns. Call Campus Public Safety at 778.782.4500 if you see aggressive behaviour or a raccoon in an unsafe location.

By doing our part, we can safely co‑exist with wildlife while protecting the health of people, pets, and animals.