Watch out: raccoons about!

mammals, invasive alien species, indigenous, Vier Pfoten/Four Paws, to be taken aback, leafier, foxes, racoons, to hit the headlines, to hail from (to be from a particular place), to thrive, omnivorous, to wreak havoc, rabies, stray racoons, predator, cull, here’s the rub, predator, keep numbers in check, to cull, to give hunters free range, biodiversity, cuddly.