Raccoon, Description, Distribution, Habitat, Diet, Reproduction, Behavior, Threats, Lifespan, Interesting facts, Raccoon and human interaction

Description of Raccoon

The raccoon is one of the few wild species native to North America that has not been restricted by urbanization and human development. They have adapted to life with and near people. Raccoons are often considered a pest by farmers and play an important role in our ecosystem by controlling the rodent populations that attack them. Raccoons are very intelligent and curious. His superior dexterity turned out to be a game for combination locks on garbage cans or closed windows. They will do everything in their power to buy food of all kinds.

Raccoons usually weigh between 14 and 36 pounds (Males raccoons are usually larger than females). Their dense fur is gray-brown in color, and the tail has 5 to 7 full dark rings, alternating with wider brown or gray rings. The tip of the tail is always dark. All raccoons have bandit masks. They have round ears lined with white fur.

The raccoon coloring is ideal for a nocturnal lifestyle, so it disappears like smoke in case of harassment. Raccoons have very dexterous front legs and are known for unlocking locks and getting into trash cans to eat. Raccoons are excellent climbers and good swimmers; however, they may be reluctant to get wet because they do not have a "waterproof" coat.

In addition to the well-known North American raccoon, there are six species of raccoon. Most other species live on tropical islands. During the 20th century, raccoons were introduced to other parts of the world and are now widespread in countries such as Germany, Russia, and Japan.

Distribution of Raccoon

The raccoon is native to North America and lives in the United States, as well as in parts of Mexico, Canada, and North-South America. It was introduced in other parts of the world in the 20th century and is now widespread in Russia, Germany, and Japan. Raccoons can live in a variety of habitats, from cold meadows to warm tropical areas. They NEED to be near the water and prefer to inhabit the wetland of the forest, but they also live in agricultural, suburban, and urban areas.

Habitat of Raccoon

Raccoons are known to wash food before consuming it. Its Latin name lotor means «the washing machine."Raccoons are very adaptable and can be found wherever water is available. They were found in swamps, meadows, forests, and even in urban areas. They are native to North America and are found in the United States, Canada, and Central America. They are terrestrial, but also excellent swimmers.

Raccoon burrow in hollow trees, crevices of rocks, and earth caves. In urban areas, fireplaces, basements, and accessible rooms under houses are commonplace. In late autumn and early winter, their fur thickens into a thick winter coat, and they eat as much as they can find to turn their heads in bad weather. In winter, raccoons spend weeks in their burrows without eating. However, raccoons do not hibernate; they live on their fat reserves and can lose up to 50% of their body weight.

Raccoons are nocturnal and rarely active during the day. However, if you urgently need food, dare during the day. You travel not far from a cozy cave. They go only as long as their appetite takes them. They are mostly lonely, although the mothers and their cubs stay together for the first few months.

Diet of Raccoon

The front fingers of the raccoon are not only long and thin but also have a highly developed sense of touch and play an important role in the harvesting of plant and animal food by the raccoon. The idea that a raccoon should wash or moisten food is a myth.

The salivary glands are well developed, and the tendency of this mammal to cope with food in the water is not related to the need to wet or wash them - in fact, many foods are consumed without moistening. A large part of the activity probably works in the position, capture, identification, and orientation (placement in the mouth) of food.

Raspberries, sour cherries, beech, acorns, corn, apples, and mushrooms are important plant materials in the diet of the omnivorous raccoon. Birds such as Ducks and their eggs, Turtles and their eggs, rats, voles, bats, cottontails, muskrats, land and tree squirrels, fish, snakes, and frogs are examples of prey for raccoons. Invertebrates (insects, earthworms, freshwater mussels, and especially shrimps) are also an important food component.

The raccoon eats meat from dead animals (carrion) and garbage. Raccoons, like bears, can enter Adirondacks' homes and campsites, steal food, and consume quantities of sunflower seeds from feeding stations in the fall. This animal is known for its taste in penetrating into sweet corn plots.

Reproduction of Raccoon

The breeding season for raccoons lasts from January to March, but the exact time can vary greatly depending on the subspecies and region. After mating, the females have a gestation period of 63-65 days and give birth to 2-5 babies.

Young raccoons, so-called" kits", begin the weaning process between 6 and 9 weeks and are completely weaned at the age of 16 weeks. Women's sets can stay with their mothers or near their areas of residence for a long time.

Newborn raccoons weigh 60 to 75 g (2.1 to 2.6 ounces).), and have hair present. The eyes closed at birth open 18 to 24 days later. Young raccoons emerge from the pit and accompany the female at the age of 8-12 weeks when weaning begins.

Some young people are still breastfeeding for several months, but they also eat solid food. The spread can occur in the fall or, more often, in the following spring. The young can stay with the woman until they become independent. Puppies of both sexes can breed as one-year-old or two-year-old puppies.

Behavior of Raccoon

Although these creatures are mainly nocturnal, it is not uncommon for them to feed during the day, especially when making kits. This is sometimes considered a behavior that is a warning sign for rabid animals, but it is much more common than most people realize.

They are social and mothers sometimes stay with the kit and other related women. Males also form loose social bonds with each other but can be aggressive towards unrelated females. Groups will socialize together, feed and rest.

Social system

A male can briefly mate with a female during the breeding season, but after mating, each can mate with other partners. Women with young groups and sometimes siblings (usually same-sex couples of non-reproductive offspring) are the only social units. Adults are solitary, except during breeding.

The domestic areas of the two sexes may overlap or the males may exclude other males. The available wells and food, gender, age, season, and climate determine the size of the residential area, which can range from 5 hectares in residential areas to 5,000 hectares in pastures. A domestic area of 40-100 ha is typical. Men have larger areas of residence than women. Densities vary significantly but on average one raccoon per 5-43 ha.

Communicate

Anal glands and others are present, but their role in regulating social behavior is unknown. Visual displays convey motivation at social gatherings. Motor patterns and posture, such as tying the tail, lowering the head, opening the teeth, arching the back, and raising the hair on the back, are examples of threats and signals that can arise during enemy encounters and develop into fights.

Whistling, screaming, howling, growling and barking can accompany aggressive behavior. The black mask can improve night vision, which is excellent, but the contrasting face and tail patterns can also serve as important species recognition features or optical enhancements when viewing. Purring, squealing, and other sounds are calls for contact and help from young raccoons.

Raccoon and human interaction

People interact with raccoons with incredible frequency, both directly and indirectly. Many interactions involve food. Sometimes people face raccoons to loot trash cans or hunt chickens, and sometimes people feed raccoons, making them more habitual and potentially dangerous.

Many mistakenly assume that" friendly " raccoons have rabies, but years of living in urban areas and human food are usually the most likely culprits. Sometimes they find their way to SOT and use the area as a birthplace. This can do a lot of damage, and moving or transferring requires approval before each action.

Domestication

Although bred in captivity, raccoons are wild animals and have not been domesticated in any way.

The raccoon is a good pet

Although raccoons are sometimes sold as pets, they should never be kept as pets. Raccoon owners must have open-air fences, appropriate permits, and proper nutrition. For most people, raccoons are a bad choice as a pet.

Raccoon care

In a zoological environment or in captivity, these intelligent animals need large, safe enclosures. You should have plenty of climbing opportunities, an area for comfortable walks, and places to escape the elements.

Because they are so intelligent, these mammals can get bored and be destructive if they do not have enough mentally stimulating activity. It is important to give toys, puzzle feeders, and training with positive reinforcement. Their diet should be chosen on the advice of a veterinarian, as they are prone to obesity and gout.

Threats of Raccoon

Raccoons have few predators, but can be attacked by cougars, coyotes, and bobcats. Disease, infection, and road accidents are the main threats.

Number of inhabitants

A general estimate of the raccoon population is not available. According to the IUCN, this species is generally quite common in North and Central America, with an increasing population trend. The estimated population in the Caucasus is about 20,000 animals. In Germany, the estimated number in 2012 is over one million. Currently, this species is classified as least concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and its number is increasing today

Lifespan of Raccoon

The potential longevity is 17 years, but few raccoons live in the wild for more than 6 years.

Interesting facts about Raccoon

1. What do raccoons eat?

Raccoons are omnivorous, which means they eat animals, insects, and vegetation. Raccoons often live in swamps or near river beds to be able to eat fish, shrimp, snails, and frogs. However, they also invade your garden, eat pet food, rummage in the garbage and climb trees to steal bird eggs. Maybe this is how you earned the reputation of being bad.

2. There are no wild raccoons in Alaska

Since they are not particularly pronounced in terms of food, raccoons live in 49 of the 50 states. However, they do not live in Alaska. While raccoons were introduced to the state in 1930, when the fur trade was booming, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game notes that attempts to transplant the animals have failed.

3. They can grow very large

Most adult raccoons average 18 to 28 inches long and weigh 5 to 15 pounds. Men tend to be taller than women. The heaviest raccoon in the world, called a bandit, obviously set a Guinness record, weighing almost 75 pounds. However, it is important to note that the bandit was kept as a pet and was often seen in the local ice cream shop.

4. Where do raccoons live?

Raccoons live in burrows that make holes in fallen trees, or in burrows abandoned by other animals. However, they jump into caves and move every few days. The exception to this rule concerns nursing mothers who are waiting for their kits (baby, raccoons) to be large enough to be resettled before finding a new den.

5. What happens to raccoons in winter?

Do raccoons hibernate? Actually, no, because they are not a real hibernation. However, they can accumulate body fat in spring and summer, allowing them to sleep in their burrows for weeks as temperatures drop and snow falls. That's why in winter you can see fewer raccoons. In the colder months, some people even find raccoons in the attic. Better to keep a professional removal of wildlife on the speed dial!

6. They were originally classified as bears

The Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus first classified the raccoon as a relative of the bear in 1740. He called it Ursus Tail elongate, and later Ursus lotor, which roughly translates as "long-tailed bear" and "raccoon", respectively. In 1780, a German naturalist named Gottlieb Conrad Christian Storr came to correct Linnaeus' mistakes and create a new genus for the raccoon, which is used to this day. Now the raccoon is classified as Proc and with lotor, which can be roughly translated as "early washing dog"."However, the raccoon is not a dog.

7. How long do raccoons live?

The life span of a raccoon depends on whether it lives in the wild or in captivity. A raccoon is expected to live about two to three years in the wild. However, some raccoons are kept in zoos, environmental centers, or even as pets (although this is not recommended). It is known that raccoons living in captivity have been living for 20 years.

8. Raccoons can be carriers of pathogens that spread diseases

Their masks can make them look beautiful, but they do not want to bother with these mammals, because they can become too aggressive, especially if cornered. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that raccoons were the most commonly reported wild species. In addition, they are carriers of parasites that can transmit BA infection to humans. Although human ba lisacaris infections are rare, they can cause serious eye, organ, and brain damage.

Of course, raccoons are very interesting creatures. But this does not mean that you want to find them at home. If you suspect a raccoon is camping in your attic or crawl space, contact a professional wildlife remover as soon as possible.