Stowaway raccoon from US finds new home in Belarus
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
The raccoon, named Senya, is now housed in an animal park in Baranovichi city in western Belarus.
PHOTO: SCREENSHOT FROM STATE CUSTOMS COMMITTEE OF BELARUS
A stowaway raccoon that survived a transatlantic journey from the United States to Belarus has found a permanent home in the eastern European country.
The raccoon, named Senya, is now housed in an animal park in Baranovichi city in western Belarus, after completing its quarantine in early February.
“Senya will be under the supervision of specialists, he will definitely love his new home and will delight park visitors,” the Belarusian State Customs Committee said in a Feb 11 Telegram post.
Belarus Customs officials who discovered the raccoon hiding in a car inside a shipping container
Senya was found napping on the dashboard of a brand-new vehicle as it was being unloaded and cleared for processing at the Kamenny Loh Customs clearance facility near the Polish border.
It was immediately placed in the care of veterinarians in Oshmyany district, according to a Jan 16 statement from the Grodno regional Customs office.
In an update on Senya’s condition on Jan 20, the state Customs committee said it is thriving and has developed a fondness for chicken eggs, crab sticks and fresh grapes.
