By Morf Morford
Tacoma Daily Index

In many of Tacoma’s parks, especially Point Defiance,  you may see the cutest little beggars in the country.

Yes, they are cute, but don’t feed them!

The natural environment provides more than enough food for them.

Human food is not good for them, plus getting accustomed to humans only makes them more aggressive –  raccoons can bite and have long and dangerous claws and know how to use them.

Raccoons are normally nocturnal, but will adjust their sleeping cycle if human food is on the menu.

Feeding ANY animal (even birds) in a city park is a civil infraction that can result in an immediate citation with fines and removal from the park.

And just a friendly reminder; smoking (even vaping) is illegal within every Tacoma city park, and that includes parking lots and promenades, and all public recreation spaces such as fishing piers and ballparks.