A 15-acre spoil island in the northern reach of Biscayne Bay has become a popular stop for tourists who want to hand-feed raccoons. New Times visited the island in June 2025, according to the magazine, and found a colony of roughly 40 animals that come to visitors for melon slices.
The island was formed from dredged bay sediment in the 1970s. It was first called Sandspur Island, then Beercan Island because of the cans left by beachgoers. Its current name appeared later, and no one is sure exactly when the change happened.
Most visitors reach the island on a tour run by SoFlo Water Adventures LLC, which departs from the Bill Bird Marina and charges $93. Miami-Dade County bars mooring on public shoreline without a lease or permit, so kayaking or swimming in is the other option. The trip through the mangroves takes about three hours.
Biologist and professor William H. Kern said feeding the raccoons is illegal and carries a $100 fine for a first offense. He warned that the crowded, unnatural feeding could spread disease through the group. He also said fed animals lose their fear of people and may bite, and that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission could be forced to trap, euthanize and test every raccoon on the island after a bite.
Tour guides said no bite has happened so far. The reporter said the raccoons are a draw for visitors, and the island’s popularity may be the biggest risk to the animals.
