Raccoon stows away on cargo ship that arrived in Southampton

The animal is believed to have travelled on the Maersk Bognor, which docked at the port yesterday.

It is unclear where the raccoon first boarded the ship, but it is thought to have made the journey unnoticed among cargo.

Port staff reportedly spotted the animal shortly after the vessel arrived.

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Raccoons are not native to the UK, so it is understood that the animal boarded the ship during a stop across the Atlantic and decided that Southampton was a fitting place to disembark.

A raccoon has managed to stow away aboard a cargo ship that has arrived in Southampton. pic.twitter.com/1pnFU3IVLb

— Ross Marshall (@RossMarshall87) April 6, 2026

This comes after a red fox from Southampton stunned officials after secretly boarding a cargo ship and travelling 3,400 miles to New York City, where it was discovered two weeks later and taken into care at Bronx Zoo.

It is understood the racoon is in the care of the RSPCA.