Police say the public should not be deceived by raccoons' friendly appearance.
The people of Callander have been warned to be on the lookout for a potentially nasty intruder a raccoon.
The animal has been on the run from the Auchingarrich Wildlife Park, near Comrie, since January, when its enclosure was damaged by a storm.
Over the last few days, however, the male raccoon has been spotted 30 miles away in the Callander area and officers from Police Scotland’s Forth Valley division have advised locals to leave it alone.
A spokeswoman said: “The raccoon is not dangerous, but it may give a nasty bite should it be cornered.
“It is an adult male and roughly the size of a domestic cat a young child could easily mistake it for being a pet, lift it and get a nasty bite.”
Anyone who spots the animal, which is likely to be hiding in trees during the daytime, is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101.
