1. eating my water lily FLOWERS. The buds are chewed up, as well as the leaves. It's making a mess in the pond.

2. Pulling my Cabomba plants out from the pond and leaving it out (to dry to death). I used to have trapdoor snails, and it was pulling the plants out in search of the snails.

Luckily, I've only missed one goldfish. And since all of the trapdoor snails have been eaten by this animal, maybe eventually, it will get the hint that there is no more and stop coming?

My pond is 500 gallons (raised) and I am so P**SSED at this animal! I can't help it =)

How deep is your pond? Do you have some sort of shelf around the top? Try to move your plants to the inside of the pond and get rid of anything it can sit on, on the ledge.
I feel your pain. Coons can be a real challenge.

The only way I have been able to discourage them is to spray them with a strong shot of water from the hose or a water cannon. They don't like being poked by my cane when they are getting too frisky or pushy but sometimes they grab on to it. Good luck.

Sandy......were you the person who had a dead coon show up on your porch? Its been awhile, so I may have the story confused.
Yes, they are definitely formidable .........ah, well, I hate to say enemies......they're just formidable/intelligent/persistent and irritating as heck!

Maybe we could refer to them as competitors or the opposing team?

I can't think of a way to make a netting look tolerable

The pond is 30" high

I've tried lowering the water depth (see attached) but they still get to it

The ledge, although great for humans to sit and enjoy the pond, really gives the coons a foothold. I find it strange that they are actually getting into the pond......even when the water was deeper.

Could you rig up a motion spot light that would come on when they came around? How about leaving a couple transistor radios close to the pond, tuned to a night talk station?

Your suggestion of not having trap door snails for awhile might be an option, and hopefully the coons would find food elsewhere.
Do you neighbors have coon problems too?
Is there anything along the ledge that they can step down on in the pond?
Dealing with coons can be so frustrating.

My neighbors don't have ponds.

There is no ledge for them to step on, it is a steep drop on the sides.

Yes there are small stones all around the pond. I'd never thought of an electric wire, but after googling, it seems a bit too pricey - $249 This one looks nice, though. http://www.sureguard.com.au/cattle_electric_fence.html#model_M2

The radio is a cheap option.

I might also try the detection light.

http://www.gardenguides.com/112579-rid-garden-raccoons.html

By the way, I hope it is not a skunk?? Those critters are not afraid at all. I've shone a flashlight at them and they ignore it.

If you have good water pressure the Scarecrow water cannon is a good option. I have one and even though our water pressure is not particularly high it has worked very well for most critters. The skunk is not a probable culprit. It wouldn't be able to get out of your pond. A large raccoon is still the most likely suspect.

In the time being, try to put all your plants in the very center of your pond. Seems like they are reaching the plants from the edge and pulling them towards them.

A raccoon would not be deterred by the steep sides up or down to that pond. They will climb right on in. They make a real mess looking for food.

A friend lives in a four story apartment and they get into his pond on his balcony.

I have a Fi-shock fence around my fish pond, cost about fifty bucks at Petco.

I have copper and chicken wire covers on four of my other ponds with no fish where they were ripping up my waterlilies.

I've pretty much given up on container ponds. Sick to death of fighting with the raccoons.

Until we started covering them. Which is ugly but we've gotten used to it and it doesn't stop the treefrogs. We uncover during the day all summer for the waterlilies to bloom and the dragonflies too they are confused by the covers.