Prince Rama's Taraka Larson Lands in ER Following Raccoon Attack

BY Alex HudsonPublished Aug 2, 2013

While it's not quite as bad as Bloc Party's Russell Lissack getting attacked by a lion, Taraka Larson of Brooklyn psych outfit Prince Rama landed in hospital this week after being attacked by raccoons in New York's Central Park.

The incident happened on Tuesday evening (July 30). She told Gothamist [via Pitchfork], "I was having a really nice magical sunset walk with myself, listening to Donna Summer... listening and walking and appreciating everything. And I noticed these two little dance partners blocking my path [the raccoons]."

She even posted a photo on Instagram.

Larson aded that they were "moving really strangely and having no centre of gravity" as they approached her. She recounted, "And then one of them got on top of my shoes and got under the tongue of my shoe and then wrapped its claws around my leg and started to gnaw on my leg."

She went to the Plaza Hotel, and the concierge advised she go to the emergency room. She did, and received 15 rabies shots. Apparently raccoon bites are extremely unusual, so much so that the doctors asked her if she was sure that it wasn't a squirrel.

Perhaps the most bizarre part of this story is that it has earned attention from well beyond the indie music sphere. The tale of her unfortunate raccoon encounter has been covered by ABC News, New York Daily News, and AOL's animal source PawNation.

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