AVALON, Calif. - A raccoon that stowed away on a boat and got to Santa Catalina Island is worrying conservationists because it may spread disease to native animals.

The raccoon has been spotted several times around the island. Officials are worried that it might pose a threat to the endangered island fox, which was nearly wiped out by canine distemper several years ago.

"Their population hasn't increased to the point where they can afford to take another big hit," said Julie King, senior wildlife biologist for the Catalina Island Conservancy.

Raccoons can carry distemper, and their droppings many contain the eggs of intestinal roundworms, King said.

"This could be an entirely new parasite that the foxes could potentially get, and it would be lethal to them," she said.

The raccoon appears to be the only one on Catalina. It slipped aboard a 38-foot yacht that Jerry and Helen Henderson of San Pedro sailed to the island on July 1.

Mrs. Henderson said she was on deck and felt something fuzzy touch her toe.

"His little nose was right against my foot," she said. "As soon as I saw it, I immediately jumped."

The housecat-size raccoon circled the deck and finally hid in a compartment.

When they reached the island, authorities placed a trap on the boat. When the Hendersons awoke the next morning they found the trap had not gone off - but the raccoon had eaten the bait food and raccoon footprints were on the deck.

The conservancy has set traps around island campsites. When the raccoon is captured, it will be killed.

"You couldn't relocate it, because we don't know where it came from," said Lt. Kent Smirl of the state Department of Fish and Game. "It's a disease issue."