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Raccoon

Procyon lotor 

"Deft"                                                              

     Most distinguishable by its "black mask" and long, bushy, black-ringed tail, the Raccoon is one of the more familiar animals as they range from Canada, across the US and into northern South America.

     Raccoons are nocturnal animals with excellent hearing and night vision, and it spends its days in its den.  They are solitary creatures, the only semi-permanent grouping being that of a mother and her young.  Raccoons give birth to one litter a year and can have as many as 8 pups but usually 3 to 4.  Baby raccoons will stay with their mother for about a year.

     Raccoons are omnivorous and will eat whatever they can get.  Although plants make up most of their diet, they will also eat invertebrates like insects and crayfish.  Their fore paws resemble slender hands and give the Raccoon unusual dexterity.  Each of their paws have five digits.   Raccoons are also known for "washing" their food.  The species name, lotor, means "washer" in Latin.  This behavior is primarily seen in captive raccoons and thought to simulate the catching of crayfish in an aquatic environment.  Raccoons are also excellent tree climbers and are not bothered by drops of 35 to 40 feet.

     Raccoon predators include mountain lions, grey wolves, red foxes, coyotes, fishers and owls.  They are also hunted and trapped by humans.