No Further Monitoring, As Distemper Expected To 'Run It's Course' At Long Island Estate

MASTIC BEACH, NY — No further monitoring will be conducted at the William Floyd Estate because the Canine Distemper Virus is expected to run its course among the local raccoon population, the National Park Service said Friday.

Two raccoons recently tested positive for the virus after they were showing off behavior and another two were found dead on the 600-plus-acre estate.

It is expected that the transmission of the deadly virus will slow during the cold weather season because raccoons are more solitary in the winter, officials said.

Park Service staff are being asked to report any further animals observed behaving in a manner consistent with distemper symptoms to Fire Island National Seashore’s Resource Stewardship Division.

The estate, which is located on Great South Bay, is a popular destination for hikers and is one of the few nature preserves that allows dogs. In addition to raccoons, it's home to many flora and fauna, including deer, common backyard birds, hawks, and owls.

It is the ancestral home of the Floyd family, the descendants of William Floyd, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The estate's grounds are closed to the public, and expected to open for the season on May 1.

The home range of raccoons vary, depending on their habitat, and if they are finding food, they will likely stay within a few acres.

However, officials are still advising residents who live nearby to check that their dogs are vaccinated against distemper and to ensure that they do not come into contact with raccoons.

Dead raccoons or any raccoons that approach people, are active during the daytime and appear lethargic, disoriented, and are stumbling around or wandering about aimlessly should be reported to the state's Department of Environmental Conservation regional wildlife office at 631-444-0310.