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The Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Raccoons live all over North America - in the city, in the suburbs and in the country. 
If you meet a raccoon, quietly watch it. Don't touch it or chase it. It's a wild animal and probably afraid of humans. Or maybe it thinks you are a VERY strange raccoon that walks on two legs. Baby raccoons are born in the spring & live in hollow trees up to 60 feet off the ground. That's higher than 12 kids standing on each other's shoulders! In June, they climb down their trees and follow their mothers. They learn about dangers like coyotes and dogs. They become experts at climbing trees. They learn about good things to eat. They eat frogs & insects & fruit & dog food. They love corn from farmers' fields. They love the leftovers from your garbage can and compost pile. Yummmmm! That's good eatin'. Raccoons will eat just about anything. That's called omnivorous. Humans are omnivorous too. A raccoon examines its food carefully, smelling it with its keen nose & turning it over in its front paws. A raccoon's front paws are almost like hands. But a raccoon has claws and humans don't. With nimble fingers, it reaches into small spaces, turns over rocks and of course, climbs up & down trees. It can even turn on a faucet. 
The word raccoon comes from arakum, an Algonquin Indian word. Native American stories tell about tricks that raccoons like to play on humans and other animals. Hunting dogs know that a raccoon can fool them by turning back on its own trail. It's like it just disappears (probably up a tree)! A raccoon will also defend itself when cornered. Few dogs can successfully attack when a raccoon is slashing with its sharp teeth and claws.
Raccoons have a healthy population. In fact, there are more raccoons now than 50 years ago and they have spread across the whole continent. Fewer predators like cougars, wolves and eagles exist. And raccoons have learned to live where humans have built homes and towns. Watch closely. Maybe a secret agent raccoon lives in your neighborhood and will come to your yard tonight. |
