Bendig, Gary. “Raccoon Walking on Lawn Grass”. 2019.
Procyon lotor: Pictured above is a baby North American raccoon. The North American raccoon ranges from northern Canada and most of the United States, all the way down into South America. The North American raccoon is typically 30-36 inches in length, including its 10-inch tail. These raccoons normally weigh about 22 pounds or less, however some males may weigh more than 45 pounds. Raccoons that live in northern regions typically weigh more than their southern counterparts, and this extra weight helps them brave harsh winters.
(Lariviere, 2020)
Missouri Department of Conservation. “Interview with a Trash Panda”. 2019.
Raccoons are omnivores, meaning that they eat food of both plant and animal origin. They feed on crayfish and other arthropods, frogs, rodents, and fruits and other plant matter, sometimes even feeding on crops. Raccoons have learned to adapt very well to the presence of humans, and often eat the trash that they leave behind. Availability of food is the primary factor affecting raccoon abundance, so it is not surprising that their highest population densities are within cities and other areas with large amounts of humans. In urban areas, raccoons may live in abandoned cars, barns, attics, crawlspaces, and sheds. In the wild, raccoons live in a variety of grassland and forest habitats. They are most often found in close proximity to water and are adept swimmers. They climb at the ready, and usually den in river banks, logs, hollow trees, and sometimes even in abandoned beaver lodges. Female raccoons can reproduce as early as one year old, while male raccoons wait until they are two years old to mate. The raccoon mating season is in early spring, and during this time males will typically mate with more than one female. “Annual litters contain one to six (usually three or 4) young, born in late spring after a gestation period of 60-73 days” (Lariviere, 2020). Mothers will typically care for their young for about a year, though raccoons can begin hunting at as early as 2 months of age. In captivity, they can live for up to twenty years, but in the wild, few will even make it to five. Some top predators of the raccoon include bobcats, coyotes, and mountain lions. Though raccoons may have these fearsome predators, their low lifespan in the wild is due more in part to disease rather than predation. Three of the most common diseases that raccoons' contract are canine distemper, parvovirus, and rabies.
(Lariviere, 2020)
Mankowitz, Rachel. “The Dancing Raccoon”. 2014.
The North American raccoon is well known for its trademark black “mask” across the eyes as well as its ringed tail, which contains 5-10 black bands. The stocky mammal can also be identified by its combination of short legs, pointed muzzle, and oval-shaped ears. Raccoons are very expressive, and have been identified by their ability to communicate with a variety of sounds, including whistling, hissing, growling, snarling, and even screaming. Raccoons are very intelligent and highly adaptable creatures who noticed fairly quickly that humans leave plenty of trash and garbage behind them. Raccoons almost seem to prefer living around humans, because they know that there will be quick and easy meals nearby. North American raccoons are nocturnal, and are well known for their trash scavenging tactics. In areas with many people they can typically be found in trash cans, dumpsters, and other areas with high concentrations of garbage.
("Terminix", 2020)
Raccoon Control Canada. “Raccoon Benefits- Can Raccoons Be Beneficial”. 2020.
Though they may seem like just scavengers and trash diggers, raccoons do actually have important roles in bettering the environment. Raccoons are very important seed dispersers, because they eat foods with high concentrations of seeds, like fruits, and then expel the seeds wherever they travel. In effect, these dispersed seeds will then have a higher chance of diversifying and growing into new plants, trees, and flowers. When raccoons dig in dirt and soil while looking for food, they are helping soil turnover, and promoting decomposition and plant movement. Lastly, raccoons are scavengers, and will eat trash and many food sources that other species won’t touch. Eating trash and other waste aids in helping keep the ecosystem clean.
("Raccoon Control Canada", 2020)
Works Cited
Admin. “Raccoon Benefits - Can Raccoons Be Beneficial?” Raccoon Removal, 27 Apr. 2020, www.raccooncontrol.ca/blog/can-raccoons-be-beneficial-to-our-properties-at-all/.
Bendig, Gary. “Photo by Gary Bendig on Unsplash.” Beautiful Free Images & Pictures, 18 June 2017, unsplash.com/photos/6GMq7AGxNbE.
“Interview With a Trash Panda.” Missouri Department of Conservation, 1 July 2019, mdc.mo.gov/xplor/2019-07/interview-trash-panda.
Lariviere, Serge. “Raccoon.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 29 July 2020, www.britannica.com/animal/raccoon.
“Raccoon Behavior: Terminix.” Terminix.com, 2020, www.terminix.com/pest-control/raccoons/behavior/.
Rachelmankowitz. “The Dancing Raccoon.” Rachelmankowitz, 19 Apr. 2014, rachelmankowitz.com/2014/04/19/the-dancing-raccoon/.