Why Altavista homes attract raccoons
The Staunton River and surrounding bottomland support high raccoon populations — water access, crayfish, frogs, and dense vegetation create ideal natural habitat. Raccoons foraging near the river naturally investigate nearby residential structures for supplemental food and denning opportunities. Older homes in Altavista often have wooden soffits and aging fascia that develop gaps over time — raccoons, whose front paws have four times the sensory receptors of a human hand, find these gaps quickly. Once a female establishes a maternity den in spring, she returns to the same location year after year if the structure is not properly sealed.