Wily Raccoon Rescued In Sarasota Waters

SARASOTA, FL — When a crew from Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium went to rescue an injured turtle Wednesday they noticed a second animal in need of a helping hand.

Somehow a raccoon had gotten itself stranded on a channel marker not far from shore but too far for the critter to make it back on its own.

The Sarasota Police Department Marine Patrol came to the rescue along with the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and Longboat Key Police Marine Patrol.

The raccoon rescue went smoothly — both times, according to first responders, who said they had to recapture the wily raccoon when it scampered away the first time.

Yes, raccoons can swim, according to David Seerveld, an Orlando-based wildlife trapper, who said they usually swim to catch fish or other sea animals.

"Raccoons can quickly attach themselves to objects located within streams including tree branches and rocks, can find their ways out of water easily," said the Seerveld's website, WildlifeAnimalControl.com. "Raccoons originally live in deciduous forests and mountains, however, they have migrated to marshy areas and places close to coastal regions, and thus, they had to get some swimming skills in order to catch insects and sea animals in the sea and streams, especially in urban areas."

Watch video of the raccoon rescue below courtesy of the Sarasota Police Department: