Oakland

Man finds white raccoon while picking up trash near Oakland's Lake Merritt

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An Oakland man made an extremely rare find while picking up trash near Lake Merritt recently. He found a white raccoon.

Dana Berry said he was unloading a cardboard garbage bin when he heard a strange growl.

"I looked down and there's a furry little guy looking up at me with these big eyes and big teeth," Berry said. "At first, I thought it was an opossum. I kind of looked at it and then thought, 'OK, let's bring it over to a safe area.'"

Berry said he moved the box near some bushes so the raccoon could make its way out. The animal swiftly scurried up a tree.

Wildlife experts say the chances of seeing a white raccoon are 1 in 750,000 – the same odds as getting struck by lightning.

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