The common raccoon is North America's most numerous mammal and is famed as a nuisance! It belongs to the Procyonidae family and its nearest relatives includes the coati.
Before the urbanisation of North America, raccoons scampered mainly through deciduous woodland. With much of their former habitat gone, these excellent climbers began denning in attics instead, even in city centres. In 2018, one enterprising raccoon went viral by scaling a 25-storey Minnesota high-rise. After its 20-hour ascent, streamed live, the animal was rescued on the roof.
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Intelligent, omnivorous, adaptable, nimble with their hands... raccoons share so many human traits, no wonder they feel at home in our built environment.
The 5kg bandit-masked carnivores are regarded as the ultimate urban pest by many North Americans. Not only do the ‘trash pandas’ tip over wheelie bins and dig up flowerbeds in search of food, but those dextrous digits can also raid backyard birdfeeders, pinch ornamental carp from ponds, open fridge doors in unattended kitchens and filch picnics in parks.
Toronto – which has been called the raccoon capital of the world – spent US$24 million on a ‘moonshot’ bid to design a raccoon-resistant bin. Yep, you guessed right: the raccoons cracked it.
How big is a raccoon?
A fully grown raccoon can measure up to 100 cm (40 in), with about a third of that being their bushy, ringed tail. Adults can weigh between 6-10 kg (14-23 pounds), depending on their diet, gender and age. Raccoons living in captivity generally grow heavier due to the constant food supply.
What do raccoons look like?
The most characteristic physical feature of the raccoon is the black fur around its eyes, contrasting with the white colouring surrounding it.
Raccoons have shaggy grayish-brown fur and a bushy, ringed tail. Their front paws closely resemble human hands, which helps them grasp objects.
What do raccoons eat?
Raccoons are highly adaptable omnivores - which means they will eat almost anything. In the wild, their diet includes insects, fish, small rodents, as well as fruits and nuts. In urban areas, they're known to frequently raid bins and eat whatever they can get their paws on.
How do raccoons reproduce?
Raccoons usually mate between late January and mid-March. During the mating season, males will roam their home territories in search of females, and will court them in the 3-4 day period when conception is possible.
After a gestation period that typically lasts 63-65 days, the female gives birth to kits (sometimes called cubs) who are blind and deaf for the first few weeks.
How long do raccoons live?
In the wild, raccoons have a life expectancy of 2-3 years, but they have been known to live for more than 20 years in captivity.
Where do raccoons live?
Native to North America, the raccoon has been widely introduced: its non-native range includes Germany, eastern France, Austria, Russia and Japan.
Originally found in forests and marshes and beside rivers, lakes, streams and coasts; raccoons now also thrives in urban areas.
Are city raccoons cleverer than their city cousins?
Raccoons may have increased adaptive abilities in response to novel situations, and the cognitive demands of urban settings might be responsible for recent claims that city raccoons solve the same problems (such as opening rubbish bins) faster than their rural counterparts. This is unsurprising given the problem-solving abilities demonstrated by other urban species, such as coyotes and bullfinches.
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