Two Missing Raccoons Recovered from Isle of Wight Zoo, Two Still at Large

The second of four raccoons that escaped from an Isle of Wight zoo has been successfully located and captured. A search operation was initiated after four 18-month-old female raccoons broke out of their enclosure at Amazon World, situated close to Sandown. The initial raccoon was apprehended inside the zoo’s premises just prior to midnight on Friday. Zoo personnel discovered her sibling atop the facility’s parrot perches on Saturday evening. Through a post on its Facebook page, the zoo communicated its “ecstatic” reaction to the apprehension of the second of the four escaped raccoons. The zoo further confirmed that both recovered animals would be housed in a non-public enclosure, together with their sibling who did not manage to escape. The remaining two missing raccoons are still unlocated, and the search operation is scheduled to persist “throughout the night.” The search efforts had been reduced during daytime hours, a period when raccoons typically rest. Head keeper Rachel Patrick had previously appealed to local residents to be vigilant “in sheds and up trees” during an interview with BBC Radio Solent. She stated, “The more eyes the better.” She added, “They’ll be hiding in any nook and cranny to go to sleep during the day.” The raccoons that have been caught are two of five siblings who arrived at Amazon World three weeks prior. Four of these five animals escaped.