Raccoon RADcapture translocation

Animal dispersal, whether natural or human-assisted, can have broad ranging impacts. Human activities have altered natural dispersal patterns of many wildlife species through intentional and accidental translocations. In this study, we use population genetic methods to detect recent translocations of raccoons (Procyon lotor) in northeastern North America. Three raccoons were collected on two islands off the coast of New England, United States (US), with probable origins in southeastern Canada. We used a custom genotyping method to track the three animals. The three raccoons assigned to populations associated with US-Canada border region, which adds to the sparse scientific literature on raccoon translocations and highlights the utility of genetics for detecting long-distance movements of wildlife and the implications for disease management programs.