Raccoon Facts

Raccoon Facts

COMMON NAMES (English only)
Raccoon 
Common Raccoon 
Northern Raccoon 
Coon 

1. This cat-sized omnivore, mostly nocturnal carnivore, with its black and white face, can live in almost all terrestrial habitats. It has a distinct sense of touch and an excellent climbing and swimming ability.

2. One of the most easily recognized furbearers, the medium-sized raccoon is distinguished by a black mask across the eyes and cheeks and black rings around the bushy tail. Long, thick fur gives raccoons a typical gray brown color, with variations ranging from sienna to silver.

3. Raccoons are nocturnal animals that love to live near a good source of food.

4. Raccoons are excellent scavengers- they will raid garbage cans, dumpsters, pet food left out overnight, and even come into a house through a pet door.

5. Remove a source of food and a raccoon will eventually leave for better food availability.

6. A raccoon will bite a pet if cornered or it feels threatened but prefers to run away from danger.

7. A raccoon might bite a human if: 1. it is rabid (intentional) or 2. it has been handfed and is seeking a handout (accidental).

8. Raccoons can carry rabies and is one of the most common carriers of this disease.

9. You are millions of times more likely to be bitten by your pet dog, (3 million dog bites in the U.S. every year) than by any wildlife, including raccoons, coyotes, foxes, bears, cougars, etc,.

10. In a rural setting, there are approximately 5 raccoons per square mile. In urban settings, that number increases to 25 per square mile. The reason…available food.

11. Raccoons are most closely related to the weasel (Mustelidae) and bear (Ursidae) families. They have keen senses of hearing, sight, and touch, but taste and smell are less well developed.

12. The front and hind paws of raccoons have 5 digits each. The dexterous front paws enable the raccoon to grasp and manipulate food items. Raccoons are excellent climbers, and can descend a tree head first.

13. Raccoons are primarily crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) and nocturnal (active at night). They occasionally venture out in the daytime, but that does not mean that they are diseased. Raccoons often adjust their feeding schedules, especially in spring when rearing their young. They may "den up" during the coldest periods in late fall and winter; however, this is not true hibernation, and the animals will wander out during
warm spells.

14. Other diseases, such as canine distemper, can cause neurological symptoms similar to rabies. Distemper is a common disease that is usually fatal.

15. Raccoons are primary carriers of round worm, which is shed in raccoon feces. The roundworm rarely causes problems for raccoons, but it can be dangerous to other mammals, including humans.

16. Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system.  The virus is present in the saliva and nervous tissue of a rabid animal.

17. Rabies is most often seen among wild mammals such as raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes.

18. Cats, dogs,ferrets and livestock can also get rabies if they are not vaccinated to protect them.  Deer and large rodents, such as woodchucks, have been found rabid in areas affected by raccoon rabies.

19. Some animals almost never get rabies.  These include wild rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, rats, mice, guinea pigs, gerbils and hamsters.  They can get rabies, but it almost never happens.

20. There are other animals that never ever get rabies.  They are birds, snakes, fish,turtles, lizards and insects.