I have a small pond and was just wondering if there was any good way of keeping the raccoons away?

Last year, they trashed my water plants and ate my fish. Now I'm afraid to put more fish in this year. Also, I have a friend with a very large pond who is also having problems with raccoons eating his Koi. Any suggestions would really be appreciated.

Ah, critters. So cute. So destructive.

Raccoons are a tough problem, especially if your pond is small and shallow, and even larger ponds are subject to predation if they've got shallow areas where raccoons can sit.

Koi, being basically curious and trained to come towards a disturbance in the water in the hope of food, fall prey to raccoons who use this as their hunting technique. They'll sit in the shallows and pat the water; the fish, hoping for lunch, swim close and become lunch.

As an add-on, the only trick that I've seen work are the IR-actuated "Scarecrows". These are sprinklers hitched to the garden hose and set up so their infrared sensors will pick up raccoon-sized critters in the pond area. The circuitry then delivers a 5-second directed schpritz of cold water on the area, annoying and driving off the 'coon. Also works on groggy humans who forget they've got it activated and stumble into range on fine weekend mornings.

Fencing, netting and chemical repellents are largely ineffective. Yappy little dogs tend to be outclassed by a full-grown boar raccoon.

The best solution to raccoons and herons occurs in the pre-planning stages of pond construction. Steep sides, deep ponds and no shallows remains the best solution. Raccoons can't hunt when they are dog-paddling. They'll do minor damage to your verge plantings out of frustration and spite, but your fish will be safe.

Bob Passovoy
President
MPKS