A raccoon has been recovered from the street in Ennistymon, after being hit and killed by a car.
According to the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the adult female animal was discovered on the Main Street on Tuesday night.
On Tuesday night last, passers by discovered the dead animal on the Main Street in Ennistymon and immediately identified it as a raccoon, before one of them removed the carcass from the road.
Raccoons are native to North America and are considered an invasive alien species in Europe.
The animals are about the size of a large cat, with thick greyish fur, and are easily identified by the black and white ‘mask’ on their face, and black rings on their tail.
The Clare raccoon isn’t the first to be spotted in Ireland either – there have been several reported sightings in recent years, mainly in Cork.
According to the EU Regulation on Invasive Alien Species, the introduction and spread of invasive alien species can impact on biodiversity, human health or the economy.
It is illegal to release listed species into the wild, or allow them to escape into the wild. It is also an offence to import, buy, sell or breed listed species.
Anyone who spots such a species is urged to contact the National Parks & Wildlife Service.
