Details
Procyon lotor
A medium-sized North American carnivoran with a dark facial mask and dexterous forepaws. It uses forests, wetlands, farms, and cities.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Raccoons live in deciduous forest, wetlands, riparian corridors, farmland, parks, and suburbs. Tree cavities, burrows, and building spaces provide dens.
They have gray-brown fur, a black mask across the eyes, and a thick ringed tail. Sensitive forepaws help them inspect food and surfaces.
They are mostly nocturnal and usually forage alone. Individuals travel along waterways, climb trees readily, and exploit human-made food sources.
Their omnivorous diet includes fruits, nuts, insects, crustaceans, fish, eggs, small vertebrates, carrion, and refuse. Food use changes by season and setting.
Mating occurs from winter into spring. Females rear young alone in dens, and juveniles learn foraging skills over several months.
Outside native range, raccoons can affect native fauna, crops, and disease management, making them an important invasive mammal in some regions.
