Raccoon

Did you see the sneaky raccoon pass by a few minutes ago?

• Raccoons, also known as ‘common’, ‘North American’ and ‘north’, are mammals native to forests of North America, although they are found in other areas, as they readily adapt to their environment.
• The scientific name of a racoon is Procyon lotor, and it is from the family Procyonidae, the family of some New World mammals, and there are up to 22 subspecies of the animal.
• Raccoons generally grow to be 40 to 71 centimetres (16 to 28 inches) in length and weigh 2 to 10.4 kilograms (4 to 23 pounds).
• The face of a raccoon features a black mask, so the animal is sometimes called a ‘masked bandit’; and its fur is mostly coloured white and grey, and occasionally brown.
• Raccoons have uniquely sensitive front paws, and the mammal has sharp hearing and smelling senses.

Raccoon
Image courtesy of Daniel Spiess/Flickr

• Raccoons typically give birth in spring, to as many as seven kits at a time, with an average of five; and they have an average lifespan of 12 to 16 years.
• The intelligence of a raccoon can allow the mammal to open somewhat complex locking devices, and have a memory that lasts three years, and it can also untie or unscrew objects.
• The diet of raccoons typically consists of insects, eggs, fish, berries and nuts, while birds and mammals are sometimes eaten.
• Raccoons live in trees or rock shelters, sometimes venturing into urbanised habitats where they are often considered a pest; and they have been introduced into Asia’ Japan and some European countries.
• Historically, raccoons have been hunted for their fur, as well as for food, and some communities still use them for meat.

Bibliography:
Raccoon, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/raccoon/

Raccoon, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/raccoon/

Raccoon, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon

Amazon: