Raccoon at the Rec!    

An unexpected visitor dropped in at the Sea Aggie Fitness Center. A dexterous raccoon was initially spotted by CSA (Customer Support Associate) Morgan Ashenfelder around 10-11 PM on April 7, 2025. 

The interloper was wandering above the office of outdoor coordinator Breidon Johnson. It was able to climb around the rafters and soon found itself above the fitness center’s front desk, directly above Morgan. 

The raccoon retreated into the night before any action could be taken; Morgan left a comment for the Nautilus saying the encounter was “comical, stressful, and on par with TAMUG.”

Our parkour procyonid was spotted again on April 9 at around 9-11 PM by CSA Adriane Colon, who had notified campus police before the raccoon could return to the shadows. She commented for the Nautilus, “I don’t really know if I have anything to say besides it’s always a fun surprise seeing a wild animal also use the campus facilities.” 

CSA Jason Osburn explained to the Nautilus that he watched from afar, seeing the raccoon as soon as he had arrived. 

He waited for campus police to arrive, even attempting to bribe the little bandit with a nutritional bar; however, it was quite clear the sneak was not interested in healthy food.

The Nautilus had the opportunity to speak to the TAMUG police department about the antics. 

Officer Roland Kelly recalled his amusing experience in managing the rampant raccoon, who had gained the courage to walk down to the gym floor and the front door of Sea Aggie Center, not to lift any weights, but as Officer Kelly alleges, left a “giant poo,” just outside near one of the hallways of the big building, most likely failing to find a bathroom. 

Campus police were able to redirect the raccoon away from the main entrance of the building to ensure safety.

Several traps were set around the building, especially around Sea Camp. Covered with a tarp and a bounty of treats within, these traps were far more appealing to the critter, so much so Officer Kelly recalls the guile and craftiness of the raccoon, who was able to retrieve every single plastic bag of treats and “for whatever reason took them inside the cage and ate it inside the cage.” 

The raccoon was safely brought out and released a quarter mile down the road towards Seawolf park.