Ill raccoon spotted near nature center

If you’re planning to walk near the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale, watch out for a potentially rabid raccoon. 

A sign at the Nature Center urges people to watch out for a “raccoon displaying symptoms of illness seen near the trail and stream April 12 and 13.” That stream backs up to the Lafayette Village townhouses. 

If people see the ill raccoon, they should not approach it, the sign says. They should call Fairfax County Animal Control, 703-631-2131, and  Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 703-941-1065, as soon as possible.

It was seen at about 12:45 p.m. April 13 near where the kids play behind the Nature Center, a resident reported on Nextdoor. It was pacing back and forth on the wooden platforms on the path, then went back into the woods.