A Calgary couple was startled to discover the animal crawling below their shed in their southeast neighbourhood was a nocturnal nuisance with limited ties to the area.

“It was about 11:00 p.m., a couple nights ago,” Bilal Hatoum told CTV Calgary on Monday. “I just took a glance outside and I noticed a raccoon digging under our shed. It was quite large. At first I thought it was a big cat but, upon further inspection, turned out to be a raccoon.”

Fearing for the safety of their three-year-old son, the McKenzie Lake residents sealed the entrance to the space below the shed once they determined the animal had left.

Ken Cheek, a wildlife control expert, says there is a fair-sized population of the omniverous scavengers in Fish Creek Provincial Park but, until recent, the animals seldom ventured outside the park.

“They’re slowly moving all over the city,” said Cheek. “You’ll see them in Beddington, Silver Springs, Bowness. They’re following the rivers, the railways.”

For decades, raccoons in Alberta were isolated to the southeast corner of the province but the animals have begun to disperse. Provincial wildlife biologist Brett Boukall says raccoons have been spotted as far north as Edmonton and it’s believed they have adopted unusual methods of travel including hitching rides on vehicles.

"We assume the raccoons are using a variety of means to get here. Last year in Banff, we assumed it was on the back of a motorhome or truck," said Boukall. "They're really adaptable to humans and they might just hike on the back of a truck or even, perhaps, on a rail car."

Boukall says it’s not known what impact an abundance of raccoons throughout Alberta could potentially have on biodiversity within the province and there are few protections in place for the unwanted animals. “At this point, raccoons are considered a nuisance species and they can be legally hunted or trapped by any private land owner.”

The province encourages homeowners to wildlife-proof their properties by sealing areas under decks, clearing out shrubs, plugging openings under sheds, removing bird feeders and pet food.

For additional information on raccoons and raccoon control, visit Alberta Environment and Parks - Raccoons

With files from CTV’s Kevin Fleming