Raccoons Zombie Apocalypse in New York City?

Raccoons in New York City’s Central Park are reportedly dying from a virus that makes them act like zombies.

A viral outbreak is now being blamed for the deaths of more than two dozen raccoons in Central Park.

At least 26 raccoons have been found dead since late June.

None tested positive for rabies, but two did test positive for canine distemper virus.

The virus does not affect people, but it can spread to unvaccinated dogs.

From the video:

When officials describe raccoons acting like zombies, many thought it was a joke, but the concern is all too real.

Much of the two-minute video at that page, which is basically a TV news bit, is predictably useless. But it does feature a short interview with a veterinarian who said:

The zombie description of canine distemper comes when the virus infects the central nervous system… brain and spinal cord. Then the [animals] that have it may act very strangely, and that form of distemper can also be confused with rabies.

It’s unclear whether park authorities are actually crediting canine distemper with the zombie-like motions of the ‘coons.

The real lesson here is that you should have your pet vaccinated and avoid raccoons.

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.