Don't Take Pictures of the Raccoons in Central Park

Don't smell like trash around them, either.

Image courtesy of @PrinceRama2012

Raccoons are like humans in that, if you take a picture of them without warning, they might flip out on you. Taraka Larson learned this the hard way on Tuesday night when two raccoons—who just might have rabies—attacked her in Central Park

Larson told Gothamist that she was enjoying a nice summer stroll soundtracked by Donna Summer when she came across "two little dance partners." It was all downhill from here. Not wanting to alarm them, she elected to simply watch from a distance. When they slowly started to approach, she says she "froze," but not before taking a picture of one of the raccoons and posting it to Instagram. That might've been the wrong move:

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A concierge at the Plaza Hotel directed her to the closest urgent care facility, and from there, her next stop was Roosevelt Hospital. She says hospital staff was shocked that she was bitten by the rare phenomenon of a raccoon attack. "They get squirrel bites every so often, but not raccoons," she told Gothamist. 

Fifteen shots later, Larson is a changed woman with advice that everyone should acknowledge:  "Don't smell like trash, and if you see raccoons, run away." That's gospel right there.

[via Gothamist]

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